Freshfields advises Hapag-Lloyd on acquisition of terminal business from SM SAAM

Global law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (‘Freshfields’) has advised Hapag-Lloyd on the acquisition of the entire share capital in SAAM Ports S.A. and SAAM Logistics S.A. from Chile-based terminal operator and logistics service provider SM SAAM S.A.. By acquiring the terminal business and related logistics services, Hapag-Lloyd secures its stake in ten terminals in North, Central and South America with a container throughput of around 3.5 billion TEU (2021) and further expands its presence in the Latin American market. The purchase price for the terminal and logistics business, which employs approximately 4,300 people, and related real estate is approximately one billion US dollars. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions.

The Freshfields team comprised partners Natascha Doll (Hamburg, lead), Christoph H. Seibt, Simon Schwarz-Lindenberg (Hamburg), Paul Tiger (New York) (all Global Transactions) and David Beutel (Tax, Munich), Counsel Martin Rehberg (Tax, Munich), and Olaf Ehlers (Global Transactions, New York), Principal Associates Carsten Bork, Arne Krawinkel (both Global Transactions, Hamburg) and Julia Kubelka (Tax, Vienna) as well as Associates Maximilian Berenbrok, Panagiota Kavvada (both Global Transactions, Hamburg) and Brendan Counihan (Tax, Washington DC).