Rhenus Air & Ocean has announced an agreement to acquire Consignaciones Europeas Marítimas, S.A. (Cemasa), a Bilbao-based liner shipping agency specialising in integrated logistics solutions. This transaction strengthens the presence of the German group Rhenus on the Iberian peninsula, especially in northern Spain.

Through this purchase, the Spanish subsidiary of the division specialising in air and sea transport intends to reaffirm its commitment to the group's growth and to continuously improve its logistics services. Cemasa will be integrated into its structure and will contribute to increasing its market share, broadening its coverage and improving the range of high value-added services it offers to its customers.

Comprehensive service portfolio
Cemasa was founded in 1998 in Bilbao. It originally operated as a liner agency, and as it has progressed it has continued to develop and adapt its services to the needs of the market. Today, it offers a comprehensive portfolio of services ranging from chartering, shipping, energy projects and containerisation to groupage and customs clearance.

Another attraction that Cemasa brings to Rhenus Air & Ocean is its strong presence in Latin America, forged through strategic partnerships with the freight forwarders and shipowners it represents in Spain.

Key strategic move
As Rhenus Air & Ocean Spain Managing Director, Francisco Ocón, explained, “The integration of Cemasa into our organisation is a key strategic move to strengthen our presence in the Spanish market and, in particular, in the Basque Country, one of the country’s most industrialised areas. We are excited about the opportunities this union represents for our team and for our customers”.

Rhenus Air & Ocean's CEO for Southern Europe, Emanuele Orso, added, “This acquisition represents an important step in our growth strategy in the region. It will strengthen our presence in northern Spain and will allow us to offer even more comprehensive and efficient logistics services to our customers”.

Cemasa CEO Javier Villasante does in turn maintain that “going hand in hand with an international group of Rhenus’ size will strengthen our capabilities and allow us to offer an even more comprehensive and efficient service”.

^{Photo: Rhenus Air & Ocean}