Germany Rejects Cosco’s Bid for 80 Percent of Logistics Firm Zippel
The federal cabinet approved the veto without debate during its latest meeting, according to the German Ministry of Economy and Energy.
In a statement, the ministry warned that the takeover would deepen strategic dependencies and undermine the resilience of supply chains in both Germany and the European Union. It stressed that Europe’s largest economy remains open to foreign investment, but said existing law lets authorities examine, case by case, any acquisition that could endanger national security or public order.
Zippel is a mid-sized business with annual revenue of €80 million ($89.4 million) and 210 employees. It operates road container transport between North Sea ports and industrial hubs in eastern Germany.
On paper, its footprint looks small, with annual capacity of 175,000 containers. But the company handles more than 35% of volume at the Berlin, Schkopau and Elsterwerda terminals, giving it outsized influence at key nodes.
Among its most sensitive roles, Zippel supplies direct logistics support to the German Armed Forces.
German media reported that a sale to Cosco could expose supply routes toward Germany’s eastern border to disruption in the event of a military conflict. Those routes are considered vital to the NATO defense alliance.
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