Can New ZIM Carry The Deal?

The question is no longer only ownership. It is whether New ZIM can actually operate.

ZIM’s $4.2bn sale to Hapag-Lloyd and FIMI was built around a split.

Hapag-Lloyd would buy ZIM.

A new Israeli company, New ZIM, would take part of ZIM’s business.

That structure was meant to make the deal acceptable.

But Israel’s Defense Ministry has now opposed the transaction.

Calcalist also says the parties are still answering a 145-question government review.

So the key question has changed: can New ZIM still do the shipping job?

The simple issue

A split structure only works if the company left behind can operate for real.