 Cargo passing through the port of Liverpool is at an all-time high |
The UK's second biggest ports company Mersey Docks & Harbour has received a takeover approach that could result in a bid of more than �700m ($1.3bn). Private equity house CVC Capital is thought to be behind the approach, though talks are at an early stage.
Mersey Docks handles about a quarter of the shipping containers transported between the UK and North America.
Its shares have outperformed the UK transport sector by about 16% so far this year.
Buoyant growth
In its last set of results, released in September, the company reported a 5.9% rise in pre-tax profits to �28.7m for the six months to 30 June.
That was thanks to strong growth in transatlantic shipping, the company said.
And Mersey Docks & Harbour expects a buoyant second half of the year.
Ferry traffic across the Irish Sea has grown rapidly and a greater volume of containers is passing through its Liverpool and Dublin ports.
Shares in the company closed unchanged on the day on Thursday at 917 pence.
One-Minute World News 
News services
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
