THE European Commission has cleared the proposed acquisition by A.P. Møller-Mærsk (APMM) of a 30% share in Eurogate Container Terminal Wilhelmshaven and Eurogate Container Terminal Wilhelmshaven Beteiligungsgesellschaft, together the JadeWeserPort Container Terminal operating companies. The companies are currently solely controlled by Eurogate GmbH
The Commission says that it concluded that the operation would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or in any substantial part of it.
The EC says: “The parties' activities overlap in the provision of stevedoring services in deep sea container terminals. However, in all possible product and geographic markets, the parties would jointly control, through the JadeWeserPort Container Terminal, less than 15% of either the available total operational or the total non-captive capacity. Even if APMM were to fully control all of the terminals in which it has a controlling interest/stake, under all possible product and geographic market definitions, its market shares would remain below 30%, and competitors would be present.”