The MSC Group, founded and controlled by Gianluigi Aponte, will sell back its 49% stake in MOBY to Onorato Armatori, the ferry company controlled by Vincenzo Onorato’s family. The move was disclosed by the Italian antitrust authority, following communications from SAS Shipping Agencies Services SARL, GNV (both part of the MSC Group), and MOBY.
This decision aims to pre-empt further action from the Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato, which last year launched an in-depth investigation into possible anti-competitive agreements between GNV and MOBY. The probe focused on four routes between mainland Italy and the islands of Sardinia and Sicily: Civitavecchia–Olbia, Genoa–Olbia, Genoa–Porto Torres, and Naples–Palermo.
MOBY also plans to repay the remaining portion of the €243 million loan it received in December 2023. Part of that loan was already reimbursed through the sale of its tug business in Sardinian ports and the transfer of the ferries SHARDEN and MOBY VINCI to GNV.
Aponte originally acquired the 49% stake in 2023, investing €150 million to rescue the Onorato-controlled company from bankruptcy and a concordato preventivo process at the Court of Milan.
