Swiss shipping and logistics giant MSC has made an offer of €5.7bn (US$6.4bn) to acquire 100% of Bolloré Africa Logistics comprising all of the Bolloré Group’s transport and logistics activities in Africa where it is the market leader.
The French company has granted MSC exclusivity until March 31, 2022, to submit a put option further to an additional due diligence phase and contractual negotiations.
The Bolloré Group’s decision to exercise this put option and the signature of the relevant agreements may only take place after the competent employee representative bodies have been informed and consulted and certain internal reorganisation operations have been carried out within the Bolloré Group.
Completion of the sale would require the approval of regulatory and competition authorities, as well as of certain counterparties of Bolloré Africa Logistics.
Bolloré Africa Logistics is present in 42 ports and operates in 16 container terminal concessions including in the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Togo and Guinea-Conakry.
It also runs seven roll-on roll-off (ro-ro) terminals, two wood terminals and a river terminal plus a conventional stevedoring activity.
With regards to shipping activities, it has a network of 74 African agencies in 32 countries.
The company’s African logistics arm additionally manages administrative and customs procedures for its customers both before and after transportation, for import and export, and manages the carriage of goods to their final destination.
It also operates three rail concessions in Africa: Sitarail, Camrail and Benirail, enabling exports of agricultural production (cotton, sesame, cashew nuts and wood) and feeds national economies (oil, fertiliser, building materials and consumer goods).
