News / Continued maritime liquidity will drive the biggest M&A deals this year

Shipping lines’ “cushy liquidity” helped double M&A deal value in the container port sector last year, with more vertical consolidation on the way in 2022.

According to a new report by Ocean Shipping Consultants (OSC), 2021’s supply chain fragility meant “most logistics companies with spot rate services yielded a solid financial performance”.

The bolstered earnings drove vertical capacity acquisition and triggered an “M&A jostle for supply chain dominance between ports and shipping lines”, OSC said.

It added: “Terminal operators and shipping lines acquire ...