MSC acquires stakes in intermodal terminals in Ukraine

The situation in Ukraine is still largely unstable due to the Russian invasion that has been ongoing since February 2022 and disrupted the global supply chain. Despite this, shipping giant MSC has decided to enter the Ukrainian intermodal terminals market via its logistics arm Medlog.
The company acquired a 50% stake in N’UNIT, a company operating intermodal terminals in Kharkiv, Dnipro and Kyiv. Moreover, Medlog bought a 25% stake in the container terminal in Mostyska, on the border with Poland and equipped to switch rail gauges, which is also part of N’UNIT’s network, as Forbes Ukraine wrote.

Reactions from the industry

Industry players have already labelled this move as the deal of the year. “MSC’s Medlog advances into the intermodal terminal market of Ukraine. Deal of the year that will have a long-lasting positive impact on Ukrainian logistics”, said Volodymyr Shemayev, director of the Office for International Projects at Ukrainian Railways. “MSC has not previously invested in Ukraine. Their interest in closing this deal amidst active hostilities underscores the exceptional performance and strategic value delivered by (…) N’UNIT”, added Andrey Stavnitser, owner of P&O Maritime Ukraine always on LinkedIn.

The deals in detail

More specifically, MSC bought the 50% stake in N’UNIT from Yegor Grebennikov who kept the remaining half. He was also the owner of 50% of the terminal in Mostyska and sold half his shares to Medlog. The ownership of this terminal is now split as follows: 25% belonging to Grebennikov, 25% to Medlog and 50% to Lemtrans groups, controlled by Ukrainian billionaire Rinat Akhmetov.