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CMA CGM Wins Bid for Air Belgium¡¯s Cargo Assets

Global shipping giant CMA CGM has secured court approval to acquire the air cargo division of bankrupt Belgian carrier Air Belgium, outbidding competitors like Air One and Dutch firm Peso Aviation. The latter¡¯s bids were disqualified for missing procedural deadlines.

In a statement, CMA CGM confirmed:

¡°Our offer for Air Belgium¡¯s cargo operations has been selected by the bankruptcy administrator and validated by the court. We aim to ensure business continuity and are finalizing the transaction under legal procedures.¡±

Deal Scope: Brand, Aircraft & Operations

The acquisition includes:

• Air Belgium¡¯s cargo brand and Air Operator Certificate (AOC)

• 4 freighters:

• 2 Airbus A330-300Fs (18 years old, leased to Hongyuan Group; 1 currently grounded)

• 2 Boeing 747-8Fs (12 years old, also serving Hongyuan Group)

Legal Challenge: Peso Aviation has appealed the court¡¯s decision, claiming it was based on ¡°incorrect information.¡± A hearing is set for Thursday, but the appeal is unlikely to derail CMA CGM¡¯s approved bid.

CMA CGM¡¯s Growing Air Cargo Ambitions

The move aligns with CMA CGM¡¯s aggressive air logistics expansion:

• Current fleet: 1 A330-200F + 3 B777Fs (1 operated by Atlas Air, 2 on order)

• Future orders: 8 Airbus A350Fs (deliveries from 2026)

• Prior ties: Since 2021, CMA CGM partnered with Air Belgium under a CMI agreement to operate 2 A330-200Fs.

Key Pending Issues

• Employee retention: Air One¡¯s earlier bid pledged to retain 200 of Air Belgium¡¯s 400 staff. CMA CGM¡¯s plans remain undisclosed but could influence final approvals.

• Operational integration: Smooth transition of Hongyuan Group¡¯s existing contracts will be critical.

Industry Impact: If completed, the deal would strengthen CMA CGM¡¯s multimodal logistics capabilities (sea-air) and competitiveness in Europe¡¯s tightening air cargo market.