PORTUGAL: Meeting on July 9, the cabinet gave its approval for negotiations to start with three of the four bidders for CP Carga, the freight business of the national train operator. The three bidders are Atena Equity Partners, Cofihold and Mediterranean Shipping Company Rail (Portugal) Operadores Ferroviários SA, the latter a subsidiary of container line MSC.
The government is planning to sell up to 100% of the share capital of CP Carga. This would be alongside a separate public offering reserved for employees, comprising up to 5% of capital.
In the parallel privatisation of CP rolling stock maintenance subsidiary EMEF, negotiations are to start with Alstom Transport Holdings BV. According to the government, this was the only one of 11 proposals received which met the requirements of the competition.
