Rhenus Acquires Share in Arkon Shipping

Germany-headquartered logistics service company Rhenus Group has taken a shareholding in compatriot Arkon Shipping in the form of a 40 percent increase in share capital, establishing a joint investment firm, Rhenus-Arkon-Shipinvest.

The aim of the increase in capital and the formation of the joint investment company is to enable further expansion of the fleet of vessels being commercially managed by Arkon Shipping in the future, the duo said in a statement.

Giving the reasons for the shareholding, Thomas Maassen, Member of the Rhenus Port Logistics Management Team, said: “European short-sea shipping is part of the range of services provided by Rhenus. We’ve been able to gain a partner in the shape of Arkon to significantly expand this service and make it more flexible.” 

“During times of general consolidation in the shipping world, Industry 4.0, increasing digitalisation and the endemic paradigm shift, where shipping is once again becoming part of an industrial supply chain, the formation of industrial partnerships makes sense and is a beneficial step,” Torsten Westphal, Managing Partner of Arkon Shipping, pointed out.

Shipping broker Torsten Westphal and ship owners Herm and Stefan Jüngerhans and Gerd Wessels have each a 20 percent shareholding in Arkon Shipping, in addition to Rhenus.

Established in 1995, Arkon Shipping manages a fleet of more than 120 vessels comprising containerships, bulkers and multipurpose ships.