According to foreign media reports, CK Hutchison is planning to reduce BlackRock's role in the deal to sell its non-China port assets, with the buyer consortium possibly led by TiL (a terminal company under MSC, the Italian shipping giant Aponte family). The Wall Street Journal cited sources familiar with the matter, stating that Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) is considering divesting two Panama ports from the CK Hutchison deal.

Zhongjin understands that CK Hutchison had previously sold its Panama port assets to a consortium led by BlackRock, which had led to significant public pressure in China. Reports indicate that Gianluigi Aponte and Diego Aponte of Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) have started discussions on plans to divest the most controversial Panama port assets and advance other parts of the deal involving port terminals across 41 ports on five continents.

Currently, CK Hutchison's sale of overseas port assets is still within an exclusive negotiation window. The negotiations are reportedly being conducted in parallel tracks, and divesting the Panama ports may require a new agreement. Sources suggest that the global transaction part could be completed within 3 to 6 months, but the part involving the Panama ports might take up to a year.

If the deal goes through, TiL under the Aponte family would acquire a 49% stake in CK Hutchison's two Panama ports, while Global Infrastructure Partners, an infrastructure investment firm under BlackRock, would hold a 51% controlling stake.