CMA CGM completes acquisition of Fattal Group

BEIRUT — French shipping giant CMA CGM completed its acquisition of Fattal Group through its subsidiary CEVA Logistics after receiving all required regulatory approvals, the company announced Thursday.

The acquisition was first announced in April 2026. The value of the transaction remains confidential, CMA CGM told L’Orient Today.

Founded in 1897, Fattal Group specializes in the warehousing, promotion and distribution of products and services for consumers, professionals and direct clients. The group is primarily active in three categories: fast-moving consumer goods and consumer electronics, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, perfumes, makeup and cosmetics.

“The acquisition marks a major step in CMA CGM Group’s development strategy, which aims to offer customers integrated logistics solutions covering the entire supply chain, from the original supplier to the end customer, and encompassing all activities from maritime transport to distribution,” the press release stated.

CMA CGM’s international expertise is intended “to strengthen Fattal’s expansion in local and foreign markets.”

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One of the country’s largest private-sector employers

“We believe in Lebanon’s future. We will continue to invest in the country, create jobs and develop high-value-added activities,” said Rodolphe Saade, chairman and CEO of CMA CGM Group.

Following Fattal’s integration, CMA CGM will employ nearly 4,000 people in Lebanon, making it one of the country’s largest private-sector employers, according to the company.

“Beyond its strategic significance, this acquisition represents a long-term investment in Lebanon,” the group said, adding that the transaction reflected its confidence in the country’s economic potential and workforce.

L’Orient Today recently learned that Joe Dakkak, current managing director of CMA CGM in Lebanon and the Levant, will be appointed chairman of the company’s board of directors.

CMA CGM has been present in Lebanon since its establishment in 1978. In recent years, the Marseille-based group has expanded its investments in the country, acquiring nuts and confectionery producer Rifai in 2021 and Lebanese chocolatier Souchet in 2023. It also operates container terminals at the ports of Beirut and Tripoli.

The acquisition of Fattal is part of CMA CGM’s broader diversification beyond maritime shipping.

Its subsidiary CEVA Logistics, one of the world’s five leading logistics operators, runs 1,000 warehouses and handled 15 million shipments in 2025.

CMA CGM is the world’s third-largest container shipping company and operates a fleet of more than 700 vessels serving over 420 ports across five continents. The group employs around 170,000 people in 184 countries.

The group has also expanded into the media industry through CMA Media, France’s third-largest privately owned media group. Its portfolio includes RMC-BFM, La Tribune Dimanche, La Tribune, La Provence, Corse Matin and the social media outlet Brut.