China Firm's First European Container Terminal Holding

China Shipping Terminal Development agrees to buy a 24 per cent stake in APM Terminals' Zeebrugge in Belgium.

The move came six months after the firm, which is wholly owned by China Shipping Container Lines, expressed interest in taking a stake in the Zeebrugge facility, one of three terminals at the Belgian port, reports the South China Morning Post.

The company will acquire its interest from APM Terminals, the ports division of Danish shipping, oil and aviation group AP Moller-Maersk, which owns 75 per cent. Shanghai International Port Group holds the remaining 25 per cent interest in APM Terminals Zeebrugge which it bought for €27.16 million (HK$274 million) in 2010.

China Shipping Terminal Development has stakes in terminals in Los Angeles, Seattle and Egypt together with interests in 13 port facilities in China.

Source: South China Morning Post