MSC acquires 51% stake in TIS container terminal at Pivdennyi port

Global container shipping operator Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has acquired a 51% stake in the TIS container terminal at Ukraine’s Pivdennyi port, marking one of the most significant infrastructure deals in the country’s port sector in recent years. The transaction further strengthens the presence of major international logistics players in Ukraine, even amid the ongoing war.

As of May, the key ultimate beneficial owners of TIS remain members of the Aponte family — Diego Aponte and Alexa Aponte — each indirectly controlling 25.5% of the company. A further 11.72% belongs to Yehor Hrebennikov, 9.72% to Andrii Stavnitser, and 9.19% to Oleh Kutateladze. The Aponte family also owns MSC Group, one of the world’s largest container shipping companies.

Industry participants note that MSC’s entry is expected to intensify competition among container terminals and improve service standards in Ukrainian ports. The President of the Association of International Freight Forwarders of Ukraine, Viktor Berestenko, described the deal as a positive signal for the market, highlighting the introduction of international management standards and customer-oriented practices.

He added that the involvement of global operators could accelerate the development of Ukraine’s port infrastructure and further integrate the country into global logistics chains. According to him, this is an important step toward enhancing the competitiveness of Ukrainian Black Sea ports.

MSC already has existing assets in Ukraine. In 2024, the company acquired a 49.9% stake in the German logistics group HHLA, which owns a container terminal in Odesa. This was one of the first major international logistics investments in Ukraine following the start of the full-scale war.

In 2025, MSC’s logistics arm Medlog SA also acquired a 50% stake in the intermodal logistics operator N’UNIT and a 25% share in the Mostyska terminal, further expanding the company’s footprint in the Ukrainian logistics market.