ITALY: The European Commission has approved Mediterranean Shipping Co’s planned acquisition of a 50% stake in open access high speed train operator Italo-NTV from Global Infrastructure Partners.
The transaction announced in October was examined under the normal merger control procedure, with the Commission concluding that there were no competition concerns.
The other 50% stake is owned by Global Infrastructure Partners and various minority shareholders. GIP is itself to be acquired by investment company BlackRock under an agreement announced in January.
Italo launched services in 2012 when Italy was the first country to open its high speed rail market to competition. It now has a fleet of 25 Alstom AGV and 26 Alstom Evo non-tilting Pendolino trainsets serving 51 destinations and carrying more than 20 million passengers/year. Last year it acquired coach operator Itabus.
