Comment / Inside the MSC family as Mærsk comes up short

ID 109924698 © Tero Vesalainen | Dreamstime.com

As Mærsk nervously prepared to issue Q2 23 numbers last Friday, 4 August, the world’s largest box line, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), was cheerfully intent on promoting the purchase of a majority stake in AlisCargo Airlines, a Milan-based air freight carrier. Ultimately, if everything goes according to plan, it will be fully owned as part of the family’s portfolio from early 2024.

For the Italo-Swiss carrier, not being publicly listed is a luxury that perfectly fits its asset-focused M&A mission. Almost ...