Zeaborn Group is continuing on the expansion trail taking over Rickmers-Linie and NPC projects as the multi-purpose sector faces difficult market conditions.
Bremen-based Zeaborn, founded in 2013, is taking over the business operations of multi-purpose shipping company Rickmers-Linie, including NPC Projects, as well as the MCC Contracting, which is involved in bunkering and charter broking.
The combined Zeaborn and Rickmers-Linie will have 200 employees with a fleet of 50 multi-purpose vessels with capacity between 7,500 dwt and 30,000 dwt.
“With the growth of our fleet, we were faced with the challenge of building a global organization,” said Hendrik Többe, managing partner of Zeaborn.
“Everyone who knows the shipping industry knows that this is a very challenging task in our time. In this respect, it’s a fortune for our development that Rickmers-Linie was available at the right time.”
Taking over Rickmers-Linie Zeaborn gains access to offices in Belgium, China, Denmark, Germany, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Thailand and the US, as well as an extensive agency network.
Ulrich Ulrichs ceo of Rickmers-Linie said: “Rickmers-Linie gets new powerful shareholders who want to expand their activities in the MPP segment.
“With Zeaborn, we have the right partners to play an active part in the consolidation of the heavy and MPP sector in a currently difficult market situation, and to offer our customers excellent service, safety and reliability on an economically stable basis.”
Bertram Rickmers will remain privately involved as a minority shareholder following the sale. The contracts for the sale were signed on 7 February and the completion of the deal is subject to regulatory approval. No financial deatils of the transaction were revealed.
The sale of the Rickmers-Linie business segment has no impact on the workforce, shipping routes and Rickmers-Linie tonnage under long-term charter. Employees of this business segment will continue to work at the offices used by the Rickmers Group on Neumühlen, Hamburg, Germany for the time being.