The Belgian Competition Authority (BCA) has begun reviewing a proposed concentration involving the acquisition of joint control over Remant Africa Logistics. The transaction was formally notified to the authority on 23 March 2026 and has been registered under case number CONC.CCS.26-0002.
The planned operation concerns the acquisition by Africa Global Logistics (AGL) of joint control over Remant Africa Logistics alongside Remant NV. AGL is a wholly owned subsidiary of SAS Shipping Agencies Services S.à.r.l., which is itself indirectly controlled by MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company Holding SA. MSC Holding, together with its subsidiaries, forms the MSC Group, a global logistics and shipping conglomerate headquartered in Switzerland.
Africa Global Logistics specializes in logistics services and multimodal transport solutions. Its activities include maritime agency services, the operation of port concessions, and the management of railway infrastructure, with a strong operational presence across the African continent. Through the proposed transaction, AGL would share control of Remant Africa Logistics with Remant NV, a transport forwarding company known for providing flexible and customized logistics solutions tailored to clients’ transport needs.
Remant operates through several specialized business units designed to address distinct logistics requirements. The company organizes maritime shipments worldwide, with a particular focus on trade routes linking Africa, Asia, the Americas, and the Middle East. The target company, Remant Africa Logistics, provides freight forwarding services between Europe and Africa, positioning it within an important logistics corridor connecting European markets with African trade routes.
According to the notification submitted to the Belgian Competition Authority, the transaction primarily concerns the sectors of maritime and coastal freight transport as well as auxiliary transport activities. These sectors play a central role in global supply chains, particularly in facilitating trade flows between continents.
The notifying parties have requested that the case be examined under the simplified merger review procedure provided for under Article IV.70 of the Belgian Code of Economic Law. This procedure is typically applied to transactions that are unlikely to raise significant competition concerns and allows for a more streamlined review process.
As part of the review process, the BCA’s Auditorate has invited interested third parties to submit comments regarding the proposed concentration. Observations may be submitted by email under reference number CONC.CCS.26-0002, preferably before 27 March 2026. The authority’s review will determine whether the proposed joint control arrangement could affect competition in the relevant logistics and freight transport markets, particularly in relation to services linking Europe and Africa.
The review in Belgium comes at a time when MSC’s broader expansion strategy in global port and logistics infrastructure is already attracting regulatory attention in Europe. According to information a separate transaction involving a joint bid by BlackRock and MSC for most of CK Hutchison’s global port operations is expected to face significant scrutiny from EU competition authorities. The deal concerns CK Hutchison’s planned sale of its 80 percent stake in a ports business valued at approximately $22.8 billion, encompassing 43 ports across 23 countries.
European regulators are reportedly preparing to launch an in-depth investigation into the Spanish component of that transaction, with the port terminal in Barcelona expected to be a central focus of the review. The European Commission could open a full-scale probe following the conclusion of its preliminary assessment, and such a process may ultimately require BlackRock and MSC to offer concessions, including potential divestments, in order to secure regulatory clearance. The broader transaction has also attracted political attention due to the strategic importance of port infrastructure and the geopolitical sensitivities surrounding CK Hutchison, which is controlled by Hong Kong businessman Li Ka-shing.
