For big ocean freight lines, 2021 was marked not only by record profits stemming from COVID-related constraints on shipping patterns and capacity but by significant steps toward transforming themselves into full-blown providers of inland logistics services. The trend is further blurring the line between freight forwarders and carriers. For most of this century, an asset-light .
Mediterranean Shipping Co., the world’s second-largest ocean container line, has made an offer to acquire the Africa division of Bolloré Group, the France-based third-party logistics provider announced Monday. The move is part of a recent trend that has seen ocean carriers and terminal operators become more vertically integrated freight transportation and logistics providers to diversify .