Cade investigates Maersk and MSC bids for BTP control

Brazil’s Administrative Council for Economic Defense (Cade) has ordered a deeper investigation into potential changes in control of Brasil Terminal Portuário (BTP). The analysis will examine scenarios where either APM Terminals (Maersk) or Terminal Investment Limited (MSC) could assume individual control of the terminal.

Interim president Diogo Thomson proposed a complementary instruction to evaluate corporate, contractual, and commercial links that might persist between the economic groups following such operations. The investigation aims to identify safeguards against the exchange of competitively sensitive information and to prevent potential exclusivity or preference relationships between the parties.

The decision comes amid uncertainties regarding the future auction of the Tecon Santos 10 terminal, as the rules and timeline for that process are still under discussion. Thomson noted that any eventual approval would include a fixed period of effectiveness, after which implementation would require new assessment by Cade if the operations are not completed.