{"id":487498,"date":"2026-07-24T19:04:08","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T09:04:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.railfreight.com\/?p=72977"},"modified":"2026-07-24T19:04:08","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T09:04:08","slug":"czech-billionaire-cma-cgm-among-frontrunners-for-rle-minority-stake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=487498","title":{"rendered":"Czech billionaire, CMA CGM among frontrunners for RLE minority stake"},"content":{"rendered":"

Four candidates are said to be in the running to acquire a minority stake in Rail Logistics Europe (RLE), the holding company overseeing Groupe SNCF’s rail freight operations. French shipping line CMA CGM and Daniel Kretinsky, a Czech entrepreneur who heads a group spanning energy and retailing, are reportedly included.<\/strong>
\n<\/span>Kretinsky also owns the parent company of pan-European parcel operator GLS and UK postal service Royal Mail. The sale for up to 49% of RLE\u2019s capital was one of the conditions laid down in an agreement between the European Commission and the French state on the discontinuation of Fret SNCF which was suspected of receiving billions of euros in illegal aid.<\/p>\n

SNCF, bidders ‘keeping mum’<\/h2>\n

Asked whether Kretinsky and CMA CGM were candidates to purchase up to 49% of RLE\u2019s capital, a spokesperson for SNCF told RailFreight.com: \u201cWe have no comment to make on this highly regulated process.\u201d Neither would the spokesperson comment on the timeframe established for the tender process nor disclose when the successful bid would be announced.<\/p>\n

Contacted by RailFreight.com, a spokesperson for the Kretinsky Group said: \u201cAs a matter of policy, we do not comment on speculation regarding our acquisition plans.\u201d CMA CGM was also approached.<\/p>\n

An industry source, who preferred not to be identified, said it was his understanding that there were currently three or four candidates to acquire a stake in RLE.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn addition to CMA CGM and Daniel Kretinsky, Rhenus (a German logistics group) is also in the running while it appears that at the last minute a private equity fund has joined the race. Rhenus already has a small presence in France but more importantly, its shareholder, the Rethmann family, acquired a majority stake in Transdev last year \u2013 a French group operating transit systems including light rail and heavy rail.<\/p>\n