Marine Finance Briefs
Slovenian shipping firm Intereuropa and port operator Luka Koper canceled a planned merger because the government was demanding the right to veto any management decisions in the new firm. The two companies had planned to merge on July 1. The state owns 51 percent of Luka, while Intereuropa is privately owned. The state's equity in the new company would have been 35.7 percent. "There will be no merger under such conditions where the government would have the right to veto practically every management decision," Radovan Vrabec, Intereuropa's deputy chief executive, said. He said the two companies would be ready to continue merger talks if the government eased its demands. Vrabec said the two firms would not suffer short-term damage due to the failure of the merger.
P&O Plans Associated Bulk Carriers IPO
An initial public offering of Associated Bulk Carriers on the Oslo stock exchange is expected to take place later this year, Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. officials said. P&O said it bought the 50 percent shareholding of joint venture partners Shougang Holding (Hong Kong) Ltd. and Shougang Concord International Enterprises Company Ltd. for a nominal sum, and would hold 100 percent of ABC until the IPO, when it will sell the majority of its holding. ABC is one of the world's largest independently owned operators of Capesize bulk carriers with a fleet consisting of 22 dry cargo vessels ranging in size from 110,000 to 210,000 dwt with an average age of seven years, P&O said.
