According to splash247.com, French liner and logistics group CMA CGM has agreed to acquire FedEx Supply Chain in a $1.4 billion transaction — its latest strategic move to expand contract logistics capabilities in North America.
Tripling North American contract logistics footprint
The acquisition will be integrated into CEVA Logistics, CMA CGM’s logistics arm, which the group acquired in 2019. The deal is expected to nearly triple CEVA’s North American contract logistics business. Post-integration, the combined operation will operate approximately 150 warehouses across the region, lifting CEVA’s total North American presence to more than 240 locations and around 20,000 staff.
FedEx Supply Chain contributes nearly 10,000 employees and a mature infrastructure focused on contract logistics, order fulfilment, and end-to-end supply chain management. Its facilities are concentrated in key U.S. logistics corridors, including Southern California, the Midwest, and the Southeast — complementing CEVA’s existing network anchored in ports such as Los Angeles, New York–New Jersey, and Savannah.
Multi-year ocean and air freight agreements
Concurrent with the acquisition, CMA CGM and FedEx plan to enter into multi-year commercial agreements covering both ocean and air freight services. Under the ocean agreement, CMA CGM will become a preferred, but non-exclusive, ocean carrier for FedEx — a designation that signals long-term volume commitments without contractual exclusivity.
The air cargo collaboration targets improved aircraft utilisation and adds flexible long-haul capacity to both networks. These agreements are scheduled to roll out in phases through 2028, with initial implementation beginning upon regulatory clearance of the acquisition.
Strategic rationale and leadership statements
Rodolphe Saadé, chairman and chief executive officer of CMA CGM, stated that the acquisition and partnership represent “a major step in the development of CEVA and the group’s North American logistics activities.” The move aligns with CMA CGM’s broader strategy to evolve from a container shipping operator into an integrated end-to-end supply chain solutions provider.
“The acquisition and partnership with FedEx marked a major step in the development of CEVA and the group’s North American logistics activities.” — Rodolphe Saadé, chairman and chief executive officer of CMA CGM
Raj Subramaniam, president and chief executive officer of FedEx, confirmed the divestiture supports FedEx’s refocusing on higher-value verticals. He said the sale would allow the U.S. parcel and freight group to sharpen its focus on healthcare, automotive, aerospace, and data centre logistics — sectors demanding specialised infrastructure, compliance expertise, and high service reliability.
“The sale would allow the US parcel and freight group to sharpen its focus on higher-value sectors including healthcare, automotive, aerospace and data centres.” — Raj Subramaniam, president and chief executive officer of FedEx
Regulatory timeline and acquisition context
The transaction is expected to close in 2026, subject to customary regulatory approvals in the United States and other relevant jurisdictions. It builds on CMA CGM’s sustained acquisition momentum: in 2024, the group completed the $5.2 billion acquisition of Bolloré Logistics — its largest since its founding in 1978. CEVA Logistics has also absorbed Ingram Micro’s CLS division and GEFCO, while CMA CGM has added downstream assets including Turkey’s Borusan Tedarik and Lebanon-based Fattal.
This $1.4 billion investment underscores a structural shift among ocean carriers toward logistics diversification — particularly in North America, where demand for scalable, tech-enabled warehousing and fulfilment has surged amid e-commerce growth and nearshoring trends. Unlike traditional carrier-led logistics expansions, this deal brings immediate scale, workforce depth, and client relationships in high-growth industrial segments.
Source: splash247.com
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
