Hapag-Lloyd’s Over $4 Billion Acquisition of ZIM

On February 16, 2026, Hapag-Lloyd signed an agreement with Zim Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. ("ZIM"), the world's 10th largest container shipping line, under which Hapag-Lloyd will acquire 100% of ZIM's shares for a consideration of $35 per share in cash. The total transaction value amounts to over $4 billion. As part of the transaction, FIMI Opportunity Funds will take ownership of a carved-out Israeli container liner business. Cravath is representing Hapag-Lloyd in connection with the transaction.

The Cravath team is led by partners Aaron M. Gruber and Andrew M. Wark and includes associates Ori Oren and Gene Choi and foreign associate attorney Jana Schwafferts on M&A matters; partner Christopher K. Fargo and associate Josh Banafsheha on tax matters; partner Eric W. Hilfers and associates Anna Mikaelyan and Caroline Wyatt on executive compensation and benefits matters; partner Sasha Rosenthal-Larrea, of counsel Carys J. Webb and associate Nilofar Vakili on intellectual property matters; partner Noah Joshua Philips and associates Lavinia M. Hecht and Katherine Weaver on antitrust matters; partner Matthew Morreale and of counsel Annmarie M. Terraciano on environmental matters; and of counsels Joyce Law and Brian M. Budnick on real estate matters. Crawford Rundlett also worked on M&A matters.