TUI AG. has launched a new round of talks to sell its Hapag-Lloyd container shipping line with Temasek Holdings' Neptune Orient Lines Ltd. (NOL), Financial Times Deutschland reported, citing industry sources. TUI declined to comment on the matter, the newspaper said. TUI chief executive Michael Frenzel last month said there are currently no talks with NOL but added the German tourism and shipping giant is 'open to the company and are waiting to see whether there will be concrete talks'.
Previously, TUI decided to split Hapag-Lloyd from the rest of the company to focus on tourism, giving in to pressure from large shareholders including Norwegian shipowner John Frederiksen.
TUI said it will divest Hapag-Lloyd via a spin-off, a merger or a sale to an investor. Media reports previously said NOL may offer as much as $6 billion to $7 billion for the world's fifth-biggest shipping line.
Financial Times Deutschland also cited Frederiksen's spokesman and confidant, Tor Olav Troim, as saying there are five or six parties interested in buying Hapag-Lloyd.
Previously, TUI decided to split Hapag-Lloyd from the rest of the company to focus on tourism, giving in to pressure from large shareholders including Norwegian shipowner John Frederiksen.
TUI said it will divest Hapag-Lloyd via a spin-off, a merger or a sale to an investor. Media reports previously said NOL may offer as much as $6 billion to $7 billion for the world's fifth-biggest shipping line.
Financial Times Deutschland also cited Frederiksen's spokesman and confidant, Tor Olav Troim, as saying there are five or six parties interested in buying Hapag-Lloyd.