Our global freight forwarding network keeps our customers freight moving across the world.

Hapag-Lloyd's Zim takeover hopes dealt fresh blow as review halted

Hapag-Lloyd's hopes of acquiring Zim appear to be lying in tatters after regulators reportedly terminated a review of the deal, declaring the proposed framework no longer valid, effectively throwing the process back to the starting line. Israel's Government Companies Authority (GCA) ended a review of the acquisition proposal structure last night, per CalcalisTech, telling all involved parties that any resubmission would mean the review process beginning from the start. Perhaps most worrying for Hapag-Lloyd's hopes of landing its target, is the Israeli regulator confirming that it would not accept any resubmission proposal until it had been approved by the three relevant parties, Zim, Israeli financial institution FIMI, and the German carrier. Having abandoned its original proposals after sustained Israeli political pushback, Hapag-Lloyd planned to submit was described as a "substantially revised deal" structure, and with the present structure obsolete the GCA was left with no choice but to end its review. The move by the GCA, which represents the state's "Golden Share" in Zim, does not mean that it opposes the deal on merits, but by pushing it back to the start line and requiring the relevant boards to approve any resubmission it has created a new hurdle. This is because Zim was informed any resubmission would need to be made by 6 October, essentially giving Hapag-Lloyd's board a week to ratify any new proposal put forward or resubmit the original proposal, which has been blocked by the Israeli government. Should the parties fail to hit the 6 October deadline, the entire review process by all relevant government departments would begin again from scratch, threatening the February 2027 deadline required to close the deal, with the process having so far taken six months. Requests for comment made by The Loadstar to Hapag-Lloyd, the Israeli government, and Zim have so far fallen on deaf ears, but The Loadstar understands that the buying parties and Zim remain keen to get the deal over the line. However, questions are now being raised over how long the German carrier is willing to go, and at what point it would decide to walk away from any planned acquisition given the strong opposition that has built up within the Knesset.

FedEx Panda Express transports special cargo

FedEx has transported two giant pandas from China to the US aboard a Boeing 777 freighter known as the "FedEx Panda Express". The airline said that it worked with Zoo Atlanta to move six-year-old male Ping Ping and five-year-old female Fu Shuang, from Chengdu, China to Atlanta, Georgia. Throughout their non-stop flight from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang travelled in custom-built travel crates under the care of Zoo Atlanta animal specialists. The pandas were the sole cargo aboard the aircraft, accompanied by fresh bamboo, water, and an assortment of their favourite treats. Before their trip, the bears spent time getting accustomed to their enclosures to ensure a safe and comfortable journey. As well as operating the flight, FedEx also provided trucking and logistical support in Atlanta to safely transport the pandas from the airport to Zoo Atlanta. The airline said it would donate the full transportation cost of this move as part of its ongoing corporate social responsibility and environmental conservation efforts. Including this move, FedEx has had the privilege of transporting 23 pandas to and from China since 2000. "We have had the privilege of transporting giant pandas for more than two decades, and every time the FedEx Panda Express is called into service, our entire team feels the significance of the mission," said Richard Smith, chief operating officer, International, and chief executive officer, Airline, FedEx. "Safely delivering Ping Ping and Fu Shuang to their new home in Atlanta underscores our long-standing commitment to global conservation and our network's ability to securely transport high-priority, precious cargo."

WFS opens cargo terminal at Lyon Airport

SATS-owned Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) has opened a 25,400 sq m cargo terminal at Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport. The Aéroport de Lyon DC1 facility is located in the airport's Cargoport zone and centralises WFS' Lyon operations at a single, modern and optimised site directly connected to the airport's runways. With 4,400 sq m of cold rooms for specialised and sensitive cargos, capacity suited to the storage of perishables products, and 36 door docks handling cargo imports and exports, including five dedicated to airfreight pallet transfers, the building is designed to optimise flows between landside access points, handling areas, and airside operations. Aéroport de Lyon DC1 will meet the specific needs of demanding sectors such as healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology and the high concentration of companies in these sectors in the Lyon region, added Swissport. The facility supports all 380 WFS customers in the Lyon area and becomes WFS' second-largest operation in France after Paris Charles de Gaulle. Laurent Bernard, vice-president of WFS France, said: "Aéroport de Lyon DC1 represents a new milestone for WFS in Lyon, where we first commenced operations in 1971. "Its design, temperature-controlled areas, and organisation of cargo flows enable us to strengthen our capacity and operational efficiency to handle sensitive and high value goods for our airline and freight forwarder customers. "Given Lyon's strategically important location, industrial base, and high-value economic sectors, this new generation of logistics infrastructure reinforces Lyon's position in national and European logistics flows and will strengthen the economic attractiveness of the region." The facility is the result of a successful collaboration between Aéroports de Lyon, WFS, Prologis, the global leader in logistics real estate, and the em2c Group, the developer and contractor with design, build, and technology oversight of the project. With high environmental standards incorporated from the design stage, the new hub is targeting a 'Very Good' BREEAM rating to reflect its sustainability credentials. The building is solar-ready, with a roof designed to accommodate a future photovoltaic installation. Vincent Sadé, vice president, head of capital deployment France, Prologis, commented: "Aéroport de Lyon DC1 illustrates how our business is evolving: beyond the building itself, we design infrastructure that is directly integrated into our customers' operations. "Our role was to align the specific constraints of the airport environment, real estate requirements and WFS's operational needs to create a tailored, high-performing solution built to last " Yvan Patet, president of the em2c Group, said: "The Aéroport de Lyon DC1 project stems from a shared vision among regional and international partners driven by a desire to strengthen the region by incorporating environmental performance from the construction phase onwards. This facility provides a solution tailored to the specific requirements of air freight." Cedric Fechter, chairman of the management board, Aéroports de Lyon, added: "The Aéroport de Lyon DC1 facility marks the continued expansion of Cargoport, the freight zone at Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport and France's second largest air cargo hub. The result of close collaboration between Prologis, the em2c Group, WFS and Aeroports de Lyon, this project epitomises regional supply chain and significantly strengthens the competitiveness of the region.