🔥CMA CGM’s $2.4B Terminal Move — The Quiet Shift Behind the Gates!
🏗️Why terminals — not ships — are becoming the real leverage layer in container shipping?
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🔥Greetings Maritime Mavericks,
Most people think container shipping power is built on ships.
But the real leverage often sits on land — behind gates, cranes, yard density, and berth windows.
On January 28, 2026, CMA CGM and Stonepeak announced a new U.S.-based joint venture: United Ports LLC.
And the structure tells you exactly what this is:
Stonepeak invests $2.4B for a 25% minority stake
CMA CGM holds 75% and retains full operational control
The JV is designed to own 10 CMA CGM-operated terminals worldwide
Stonepeak also has an option to provide up to $3.6B for future joint terminal projects
The portfolio has been described as valued at ~ $10B
Closing is expected in the second half of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals (including antitrust and foreign direct investment approvals)
This is not “just a deal.”
It’s a blueprint for how a carrier builds hard, repeatable advantage — while keeping the steering wheel.
⚓ Act 1 — The quiet truth: terminals are hard to replace
🏗️ Act 2 — The new company is the story
🤝 Act 3 — The “control + capital” formula
💰 Act 4 — Why the optional $3.6B matters
🧾 Act 5 — Timing and closure
🏅 Maritime Analytica - Final Words
Ready? Let’s dive in…
⚓Act 1 — The quiet truth: terminals are hard to replace
Stonepeak put it bluntly through Managing Director James Wyper:
“Container terminals are essential, and among the most difficult transportation infrastructure assets to substitute or replicate.”
💡That single idea explains why terminal access is treated like strategic infrastructure, not real estate.