Ports & terminals - what is driving M&As and capital market activity?

After grinding to a halt in the aftermath of the global financial crisis, M&A activity in the port sector
has been growing, with financial investors being particularly active.
Recent M&As indicate the sector is consolidating
Recent media reports suggest that the Belgian cities of Antwerp and Bruges have decided in principle to merge into one, a new port
authority for the coastal port of Zeebrugge and the larger, more inland port of Antwerp. While Zeebrugge is a leading ro-ro port and a
natural gas hub, Antwerp is the second largest port in Europe, providing multiple multimodal connections to the rest of Europe via road,
rail, barge and feeder services. As a result, it is a major hub across a range of cargo types – container, chemicals and break bulk. A merger
of Belgium’s two largest port authorities will have positive cost implications.