Maritime Transport Acquired by MEDLOG

Maritime Transport has been acquired by Swiss logistics giant MEDLOG for an undisclosed amount, marking the latest instance of a British transport operator being taken over by an international corporation.

Under the terms of the deal, Maritime’s existing management team, led by Group Executive Chairman John Williams, will remain in place and continue to run the company, now with the backing of MEDLOG. The business will continue to operate under the Maritime brand.

Commenting on the acquisition, John Williams expressed his satisfaction, stating, “We are very pleased to have secured the long-term future of the business as part of an independent, global logistics organization that can provide the ongoing investment needed to support our ambitious plans for growth. With MEDLOG, we share a common heritage, culture, and values, and we look forward to their support in realizing Maritime’s full potential and reinforcing our commitments to our employees, customers, and suppliers.

“We will continue to develop practical, technology-driven, infrastructure-led supply chain solutions, and set a high standard for service performance in the UK. This includes our upcoming deployment of battery-electric trucks and the open access operation of our rail terminals for both existing and new customers,” Williams added.

MEDLOG Chairman, Giuseppe Prudente, described the acquisition as a significant milestone. “We are excited to expand our logistics footprint in the United Kingdom. MEDLOG specializes in intermodal transportation, offering solutions in more than 80 countries. The extensive expertise within Maritime, combined with MEDLOG’s investment and experience, will drive continued innovation in the UK’s logistics infrastructure in a way that aligns with our values and respect for the environment,” he said.

Founded in 1988, MEDLOG is an independent logistics operator specializing in intermodal transportation solutions. With a workforce of over 10,000 employees, the company is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and serves as the cargo division of MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, the world’s largest container carrier.

Maritime Transport, based in Felixstowe, was founded in 2001 by John Williams and has remained a family-run business. The company offers integrated road and rail freight logistics, container transport and storage, domestic distribution, warehousing, freight management, and truck sales. It employs around 3,000 staff across 41 sites, operates a fleet of 1,600 trucks, and runs 36 daily rail services.

Throughout the year, Maritime has made significant investments in its intermodal services, expanding its terminals in Liverpool, Northampton, and East Midlands Freeport, as well as committing £30 million to a fleet renewal program. The company is also a key participant in the government-funded Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) program, which will see the integration of electric and hydrogen fuel cell trucks into its operations by 2025.

Maritime Transport recently reported its annual results, revealing that pre-tax profit nearly halved in 2023 due to the normalization of post-pandemic trading and ongoing supply chain challenges. The company’s revenue dropped by £78 million to £404 million (from £482 million in 2022) for the year ending 27 December 2023, with pre-tax profit falling to £20.7 million (from £40.1 million in 2022).

Maritime’s sale to MEDLOG is part of a broader trend of UK transport companies being acquired by foreign investors. Earlier this year, Wincanton was acquired by US-based GXO, following GXO’s purchase of Clipper Logistics the previous year. Other recent acquisitions include Abbey Logistics, which was bought by Belgian group Sitra in November 2022, Kent-based Perishable Movements Limited, acquired by French group Seafrigo in July 2023, and County Durham-based supply chain specialist NFS360 Connect, which was taken over by French logistics giant DESLOG in August 2023.