Maersk develops contingency acquisition plan as regulators review four billion dollar Hapag Lloyd and Zim merger

Maersk is reportedly preparing a backup plan to acquire Israeli shipping carrier Zim as regulators scrutinize Hapag-Lloyd’s $4.2 billion takeover bid.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 5, 2026, 6:15 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Calcalist

Potential for a secondary bid from Danish shipping leader

Maersk, currently the world’s second largest container shipping company, is formulating a strategy to re-enter the race for Zim should the existing 4.2 billion dollar deal unravel. During the initial tender, Maersk offered 29 dollars per share, ultimately losing to the 35 dollar per share bid submitted by German rival Hapag-Lloyd and the private equity fund FIMI. Despite this initial loss, industry sources indicate that Maersk remains poised to intervene if the current transaction collapses during the regulatory review process.

Regulatory considerations and the Israeli golden share

A primary advantage cited by proponents of a Maersk acquisition is the absence of sovereign wealth funds from countries defined as hostile to Israel within its ownership structure. In contrast, Hapag-Lloyd’s shareholder base includes Saudi and Qatari funds that collectively hold approximately 25 percent of its shares. Maersk believes this cleaner regulatory profile would allow it to complete an acquisition without necessarily requiring an Israeli partner, though the company has held preliminary discussions with local entities such as XT for potential collaboration.

Legal coordination and governmental approval processes

The formal application for the Hapag-Lloyd and FIMI acquisition has not yet been submitted to the Government Companies Authority, as several unresolved issues remain. Avi Licht, a former Deputy Attorney General for Economic and Fiscal Affairs, is leading the discussions with regulators on behalf of Zim and Hapag-Lloyd. Licht’s extensive history with Zim includes overseeing the company’s 3.4 billion dollar debt restructuring in 2014, a background that is expected to be instrumental in navigating the current sensitivities surrounding the state’s golden share.