Published on September 24, 2025
Global logistics elephantine CMA CGM has confirmed nan acquisition of Freightliner, a starring UK-based freight operator. The deal, which is anticipated to beryllium completed successful 2026 pending regulatory approvals, will encompass Freightliner’s obstruction and roadworthy operations, inland terminals, and nan Freightliner brand. However, nan company’s different world operations, including Heavy Haul, Rotterdam Rail Feeding, and Freightliner Poland/Germany, will stay nether nan ownership of Genesee & Wyoming, USA.
Acquisition Details and Future Operations
CMA CGM has stated that Freightliner will proceed to run arsenic an independent entity nether nan existent management, maintaining its multi-user and multi-customer business model. The CEO of Freightliner, Tim Shoveller, revealed that nan company’s Intermodal section will modulation into a standalone business wrong nan CMA CGM Group, while nan Heavy Haul division, focused connected bulk freight, will run nether a caller marque name.
This acquisition strengthens CMA CGM’s intermodal beingness successful nan UK, a cardinal strategical market. By integrating Freightliner’s operations pinch CMA CGM’s world carrier network, nan institution intends to heighten connectivity betwixt sea, rail, and roadworthy transport. The woody aligns pinch CMA CGM’s efforts to connection much efficient, sustainable logistics solutions, contributing to nan decarbonisation of world trade.
Strategic Importance for CMA CGM
CMA CGM, headquartered successful Marseille, France, is simply a awesome subordinate successful nan world logistics and shipping industry, employing 29,000 group worldwide, including 7,200 successful nan UK crossed maritime, logistics, and inland services. The institution is committed to expanding its beingness successful nan UK, wherever it transported 802,000 TEUs successful 2024, pinch 200,000 TEUs moved by obstruction and roadworthy successful nan first half of 2025.
Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and CEO of CMA CGM, expressed that this acquisition reinforces nan company’s committedness to improving intermodal proscription services and advancing low-carbon carrier solutions. By combining Freightliner’s obstruction and roadworthy services pinch CMA CGM’s maritime expertise, nan acquisition is expected to supply enhanced logistics solutions for customers while besides supporting CMA CGM’s sustainability objectives.
History of Freightliner
Freightliner has a rich | history, primitively founded arsenic a subsidiary of state-owned British Rail successful nan 1960s. The institution was privatised successful nan 1990s and subsequently sold to a guidance buyout team. In 2015, it was acquired by Genesee & Wyoming, a US-based obstruction freight operator. The company’s UK operations person go a cardinal subordinate successful nan freight carrier sector, pinch a attraction connected intermodal and bulk freight services.
In December 2019, Genesee & Wyoming itself was acquired by a consortium of Brookfield Infrastructure and nan Singaporean sovereign wealthiness money GIC successful a woody weighted astatine $8.4 billion. Despite this alteration successful ownership, Freightliner has remained an basal portion of nan UK’s freight carrier infrastructure.
The Future of Freightliner nether CMA CGM
With CMA CGM’s acquisition, Freightliner will use from nan world expertise and infrastructure of 1 of nan world’s starring logistics companies. The integration of Freightliner’s services into CMA CGM’s broader logistics web is expected to thrust efficiencies successful nan carrier of goods, trim emissions, and supply customers pinch much streamlined services crossed aggregate carrier modes.
The woody besides reflects CMA CGM’s broader strategy to diversify its operations and connection much sustainable solutions successful nan logistics and carrier sectors. By investing successful lower-carbon carrier options and expanding its beingness successful cardinal markets for illustration nan UK, CMA CGM is positioning itself arsenic a leader successful nan evolving world proviso chain.