The federal government allegedly wants to stop a Chinese takeover in the port of Hamburg

According to a report in the Handelsblatt, the federal government wants to prevent the sale of the logistics company Zippel, which operates at the port of Hamburg, to the Chinese state-owned company Cosco.

The government has “significant security concerns,” reports the Düsseldorfer Zeitung, citing confidential documents. There is a risk of strategic dependencies that “could be used as a means of pressure in the event of political upheavals,” the paper quotes.

According to the report, insiders assume that the takeover will be banned. In 2023, Cosco took over a minority share of 24.99 percent in the Tollerort container terminal in Hamburg - this caused a lot of criticism at the time because of China's growing influence in important economic areas in this country. Warnings were given of the risks of economic dependence, espionage and sabotage.

The Federal Cartel Office in Bonn approved the takeover of Zippel under competition law in February. “Any foreign trade law or security policy aspects are not the subject of merger control under antitrust law,” emphasized Cartel Office President Andreas Mundt at the time. The Federal Ministry of Economics is responsible here.