The Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) finalized the acquisition of a controlling stake in the French freight forwarder Clasquin. This strategic transaction was managed through the Luxembourg subsidiary SAS Shipping Agencies Services. Consequently, the group purchased 42% of the company for approximately 325 million euros. The shares were sold by Clasquin president Yves Revol and the French private equity firm Olymp. Currently, another 13% of the shares belong to employee representation. The remaining 45% is publicly traded on the market.
Headquartered in Lyon, Clasquin operates as a major international freight forwarder. The company provides comprehensive services by sea, air, and rail. Additionally, they handle complex logistics and customs operations. The group boasts twenty-two offices in the Asia-Pacific region. Furthermore, they are steadily growing their footprint in the Middle East and Africa. In Italy, the company is actively present with an operative branch located in Segrate.
TDuring the recent market peaks, Clasquin successfully managed 163,000 shipments. Therefore, the company generated a solid turnover of 284.3 million euros. This volume resulted in gross incomes of 67.4 million euros.
This new acquisition aligns perfectly with MSC’s global expansion strategy. The group strongly wants to become a fully integrated logistics giant. For this reason, they are adding Clasquin to a series of recent multi-modal investments. These include a 49.2% stake in Italo and the purchase of air carrier AlisCargo. Furthermore, MSC recently acquired Bolloré Africa Logistics. Interestingly, industry reports suggested that French President Emmanuel Macron facilitated the Bolloré deal. This happened because Paris considered MSC closer to its interests on the African continent.
Founded in Naples in 1970, MSC is currently based in Geneva, Switzerland. The maritime giant remains under the tight ownership of Gianluigi Aponte and his wife Rafaela Diamant. Today, the group commands a massive fleet of approximately seven hundred container ships. Consequently, their vessels regularly call at five hundred ports worldwide.
As a privately-held company, MSC does not publicly disclose its official financial results. However, independent market estimates indicated that net profits reached astonishing levels. The group generated around 15 billion euros per year. This record result was largely driven by the historic surge in post-pandemic container freight rates.
Beyond container shipping, the group’s portfolio includes prominent passenger transport brands. For instance, MSC Cruises is a world leader in the cruise sector. Additionally, the group owns the historic ferry company SNAV, which connects the main Italian islands and Croatia. Finally, Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV) operates essential maritime routes across Sicily, Sardinia, and several North African countries.
