Christian Bjelland News

Anglo-Norwegian industry group Kvaerner said on Friday that it would not raise or extend its $725 million takeover bid for oil and gas services firm Aker Maritime Kvaerner's offer of 0.79 new Kvaerner shares for each Aker Maritime share expires today, at the close of the Oslo bourse. Aker Maritime has rejected the bid as too low. Kvaerner chairman Christian Bjelland reportedly told shareholders at a meeting today that the company's bid remained unchanged. The company had called the meeting for shareholders to vote over a controversial proposal to lower the threshold for mandatory offers to 30 percent from 40. A majority supported a lower threshold, company officials said after the meeting.

Kvaerner ASA Chairman Christian Bjelland reportedly he won't seek re-election because of conflict between the Norwegian maker of equipment for the energy industry and Aker Maritime ASA, its major shareholder and a rival, Reuters reported. Aker, controlled by Kjell Inge Roekke, bought options in July to purchase 26.7 percent of Kvaerner. Aker scaled back its plan to take control of Kvaerner in December after the European Commission agreed to drop a probe into the purchase.