TIS consolidates assets: Ukrainian logistics giant buys shares in DP World and P&O Maritime, sources say
10 March 19:46
TIS has fully acquired its container terminal and tugboat business from its Arab partners. It was recently announced that TIS, Ukraine’s largest port operator, has closed a deal to fully acquire its assets from Arab companies DP World and P&O Maritime, according to "Komersant Ukrainian", citing market sources.
Since 2020,DP World has owned a 51% stake in the TIS Container Terminal. And since 2018, P&O Maritime has been a co-owner of the tugboat operator P&O Maritime Ukraine. The amounts and details of both deals are not being disclosed.
An internal letter obtained by the editorial office revealed that the shareholders had informed the staff about the consolidation of control over the companies in TIS and assured them that the companies would continue to operate as usual.
The exit of Arab investors ends nearly a decade of close cooperation. The first step was a 2018 deal in which global tugboat operator P&O Maritime (a subsidiary of DP World) acquired control of LB Shipping. This led to the creation of the P&O Maritime Ukraine brand, which began operating tugboats in the port of Pivdennyi and later expanded its presence to the ports of Odesa and Chornomorsk.
The most high-profile event in the industry was the 2020 deal. At that time, one of the world’s largest port operators, DP World (Dubai, UAE), acquired a 51% stake in the TIS Container Terminal. This transaction was recognized as one of the largest foreign direct investments in Ukraine’s transport sector. The goal of the partnership was to integrate the Ukrainian terminal into DP World’s global network, which made it possible to attract new services and implement digital solutions in logistics management. SD Capital investment company acted as a consultant for that deal .
TIS (Transinvestservice) is Ukraine’s largest private port operator, founded in 1994 by Oleksiy Stavnitser and Oleg Kutateladze.
The company operates in the waters of the Pivdennyi port (Odesa region) and is a critical hub for Ukrainian exports. The company has its own developed railway infrastructure (over 80 km of tracks) and a locomotive depot.
Before the full-scale invasion , TIS handled over 30 million tons of cargo annually, accounting for about 20% of the total cargo turnover of Ukraine’s seaports.
After the consolidation of assets , TIS becomes the sole owner of the container and tugboat divisions, which will allow the company to independently manage operational processes in the context of the “grain corridor” and military risks in the Black Sea.
