Maersk concentrates its Spanish port business with a merger in Barcelona

APM Terminals Spain Gateways S.L. will absorb APM Terminals Espagna Holding S.L. through a merger by absorption, the project of which has been filed with the Mercantile Registry of Barcelona and published by the Official Gazette of the Mercantile Registry (BORME) on Wednesday, October 7, 2026. The announcement appears in the First Section, under the heading “Deposits of merger by absorption projects,” with number 601 and a filing date of October 1, 2026 (reference BORME-B-2026-194-08, p. 47127). With this operation, the absorbing company assumes the assets of the head of the Maersk group’s Spanish port business.

The BORME, edited by the State Agency of the Official State Gazette, is the official journal where acts registrable in the Mercantile Registry are published. Mergers are governed by Royal Decree-Law 5/2023, of June 28 (LME 5/2023), which in its article 10 requires the publication of the agreement and in its article 53 regulates the special procedure applicable when the absorbing company is the direct holder of all shares of the absorbed company. The group already used this route in its two previous operations.

The registry records depict a staggered reorganization. On September 9, 2024, the project was published by which APM Terminals Management (Barcelona) S.L.U. absorbed APM Terminals Spain Gateways S.L.U., with APM Terminals Espagna Holding S.L. being the sole partner of the absorbing company (reference BORME-C-2024-5059). On October 1, 2025, BORME no. 187, p. 6541, recorded a new merger in which the absorbing company was renamed APM Terminals Spain Gateways S.L.U. (reference BORME-C-2025-5315), registered on October 23, 2025, in the Mercantile Registry of Barcelona (S 8, H B 201781, I/A 121).

A holding company dissolved without liquidation

The mechanics are standard for this type of operation: the absorbed company is dissolved without liquidation and transfers its assets en bloc to the absorbing company, which acquires all its rights and obligations by universal succession. The registered office of both companies is the same: Ronda del Port number 233, Port of Barcelona (08039).

The registry data identify the absorbing company as APM Terminals Spain Gateways S.L. (S 8, H B 201781) and the absorbed company as APM Terminals Espagna Holding S.L. (S 8, H B 508583), a holding company whose corporate purpose is the management and administration of securities representing equity funds of resident and non-resident entities. In January 2026, the holding company appointed AP MOLIER MAERSK AS as a joint proxy, according to the BORME of January 27, 2026.

The port business, under a single head

The absorbing company already controls the group’s main Spanish terminals:

• APM Terminals Barcelona S.L. (S 8, H B 201783): its sole partner is APM Terminals Spain Gateways S.L. since January 21, 2026 (BORME of January 29, 2026).
• APM Terminals Valencia, S.A. (S 8, H V 59887): APM Terminals Spain Gateways S.L. has appeared as director and chief executive officer since November 20, 2025, and appointed Scott Kelly Selman (BORME of November 27, 2025).
• APM Terminals Gijón S.L. (S 8, H AS 26489): the director APM Terminals Management Barcelona S.L. changed its name to APM Terminals Spain Gateways S.L. (BORME of January 28, 2026).
• Statutory audit: PricewaterhouseCoopers Auditores S.L. (BORME of August 24, 2026).

Observations from partners, creditors, and employees

On the same October 7, the First Section of the BORME published the announcements filed by both companies on October 1, 2026 (reference BORME-A-2026-194-08, p. 46878). In these, partners, creditors, and employee representatives are informed that they may submit observations regarding the project to the company no later than five business days before the general meeting.

The entries correspond to APM Terminals Spain Gateways S.L. (S 8, H B 201781, I/A 129 N) and APM Terminals Espagna Holding S.L. (S 8, H B 508583, I/A 22 N). In the group’s previous operation, published on October 1, 2025, the creditors’ right of opposition during a period of one month from the publication of the announcement was also recalled, in accordance with Article 13 of the LME 5/2023.

The merger simplifies the corporate structure of the Maersk group’s largest port operator in Spain and leaves the ownership of the Barcelona, Valencia, and Gijón terminals in a single company. For partners, creditors, and staff, the announcement opens the formal period to examine the project and formulate observations before the general meeting approves it.

Source: Official Gazette of the Mercantile Registry, no. 194, October 7, 2026, First Section, p. 47127 (official reference: BORME-B-2026-194-08).