Closing of the investment of Marinvest into Messina Group

On June 30th, 2020, has closed the investment transaction by Marinvest S.r.l. (Marinvest) into the share capital of the shipping company Ignazio Messina & C. S.p.A. (Ignazio Messina & C.), a historic company of Genoa active in supplying shipping services internationally.

The investment – which was part of a debt restructuring plan implemented by Gruppo Messina S.p.A. (Gruppo Messina), Ignazio Messina & C.  and RoRo Italia S.p.A. (RoRo Italia) – concerned the acquisition by Marinvest of 49% of the share capital of Ignazio Messina & C. and of 52% of the share capital of RoRo Italia, the companies owning the fleet of vessels and the terminal concessions in the port of Genoa, previously controlled by Gruppo Messina.

The closing took place one year after the execution of the framework agreement between Marinvest and Gruppo Messina, during which the parties have obtained the clearances to the investment from the Competition Authorities and from the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority.

R&P Legal advised Marinvest with regard to all legal aspects related to the transaction, with a team led by the partner Fabrizio Iliceto with the support of the associate Alfredo Della Bella.

BonelliErede advised Gruppo Messina, Ignazio Messina & C. and RoRo Italia with regard to all legal aspects related to the transaction with a team led by partners Vittorio Lupoli, member of the Restructuring & Insolvency Focus Team and Alessandro Musella, with Filippo Chiodini, managing associate and member of the Restructuring & Insolvency Focus Team.

With regards to the aspects of Italian competion law, Marinvest was advised by ECR Legal, by the partners Monica Dal Prà and Gabriella Scionti, while Gruppo Messina was advised by BonelliErede with the partner Francesco Anglani, the managing associate Omar Diaz and the associate Jacopo De Luca.