Germany blocks the Chinese state-owned shipping and logistics group COSCO’s proposed acquisition of a logistics firm connected to Hamburg’s seaport, according to multiple reports. The decisions prevent what would be described as the largest Chinese buy in Germany’s port sector.
Berlin cites security concerns as the basis for rejecting the deal. One outlet frames the move in the context of broader European scrutiny of Chinese logistics companies, while another emphasizes the scale of the acquisition and characterizes the German rejection as the result of security assessments. Both accounts point to Germany’s use of its authority to review foreign investments in strategic infrastructure and explain that the approval process fails to meet Berlin’s requirements.
The reports do not provide details on specific operational changes or remedies that could satisfy Germany, nor do they describe an agreed alternative transaction. Instead, they focus on the outcome—Germany’s rejection—and the security rationale linked to the role of seaports and logistics networks in national and EU interests.
