MSC is officially ready to acquire the majority shares of French freight forwarder Clasquin. The two parties have agreed on the specifics of the transfer and will soon proceed to the merger of operations. MSC subsidiary SAS Shipping Agencies Services Sàrl will carry out the acquisition, which is expected to result in the extension of the shipping giant’s global logistics network.
The two parties have been in talks regarding the acquisition since December 2023. According to the Italian publication Il Nautilus, the two sides have entirely aligned with the acquisition plan and process, while Clasquin will maintain its management and name even after the deal is sealed on paper.
Clasquin is a French freight forwarding and logistics company active in logistics between France and Western Europe and regions like Asia/Pacific and North America for forty years. The company takes pride in being a “multinational mid-cap company”.
In practical terms, a mid-cap company is defined as one offering considerable growth opportunities with a reasonable amount of risk. This makes such organisations quite appealing to larger industry players eyeing their acquisition. In this context, MSC’s approach makes perfect sense, considering that it carries out a relatively safe investment.
Extensive Chinese railway network
For MSC, acquiring such a company means that its network will also be extended. Clasquin indicated that there will be close synergies with MSC’s North African network. However, one cannot overlook that Clasquin also has quite an extensive rail logistics network in China.
The French forwarder offers services to cities such as Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu, Qingdao, Chongqing, Shanghai, Xiamen, and Ningbo, to mention just a few. At the same time, the company has expertise in organising rail freight services between China and Europe within the context of BRI agreements.
Consequently, MSC will benefit from Clasquin’s domestic Chinese network, which will bring hinterland and coastal trade and economic centres closer, and from the possibility that this network can result in both overland and intermodal Asia-Europe services.
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