IFM Investors has agreed to acquire the 63.88% controlling stake in Associated British Ports held by CPP Investments and OMERS, giving the Australian and UK pension-backed infrastructure manager control of Britain’s largest port group by tonnage. Financial terms were not disclosed by the parties, but the transaction values ABP at more than £10 billion, approximately $13.4 billion, according to Financial Times and Bloomberg reporting. ABP handles roughly 25% of UK seaborne trade. The sale has not yet closed: it is subject to shareholder, regulatory and mandatory UK national-security approvals, with completion expected in the first half of 2027.
Associated British Ports · Control Transaction
IFM Is Buying Control, Not the Entire Company
63.88%
controlling interest under binding agreement
CPP Investments is selling its 33.88% interest and OMERS its 30% interest to Global Infraco Haven Bidco, an indirect subsidiary of the IFM Global Infrastructure Fund.
Reported Whole-Company Valuation
£10B+
approximately $13.4 billion
The parties did not disclose the purchase price. The £10 billion-plus valuation comes from financial-media reporting and should not be presented as an officially disclosed transaction value.
Expected CloseH1 2027
Still RequiredApprovals + Security Review
UK Seaborne Trade~25%
ABP handles roughly one quarter of Britain's maritime trade.
ABP Public Port Network21 Ports
Strategically positioned around England, Wales and Scotland.
Annual Cargo85M+ t
Approximate annual tonnage across the network.
Containers~1.3M
Containers handled annually across ABP facilities.
Employees2,500+
Workforce supporting the national port network.
Incoming Controller
IFM Global Infrastructure Fund
IFM becomes the majority shareholder after completion, bringing ABP into an infrastructure portfolio that already includes major port investments in Australia, Canada, Poland and Türkiye.
Not a 100% Takeover
Existing Minority Capital Remains
Singapore's GIC, Kuwait-backed Wren House Infrastructure and Federated Hermes remain part of the existing shareholder base rather than selling into this transaction.
What IFM Is Actually Gaining Control Of
ABP Is a National Trade Network, Not One Container Terminal
Cargo diversity is central to the value of ABP. Its exposure spans containers, vehicles, RoRo, cruise, dry and liquid bulk, steel, food, energy and the infrastructure required for Britain's offshore-energy transition.
HumberImmingham · Hull · Grimsby · Goole
Britain's largest port complex. Immingham is the country's largest individual port by tonnage and the region handles energy, vehicles, RoRo, containers and bulk commodities.
EnergyRoRoBulkVehicles
SouthamptonDeep-Sea Gateway
Britain's leading vehicle-handling and cruise port, a major deep-sea export gateway and one of the country's largest container hubs.
ContainersCruiseAutosRail
South WalesPort Talbot · Cardiff · Newport + Others
Ports serving steel, agriculture, industrial cargoes and a growing offshore-energy role, including plans for floating-wind manufacturing and assembly.
SteelOffshore WindBulk
Short-Sea NetworkRegional Ports Around Britain
Smaller ports provide regional gateways for manufacturing, agricultural cargo, energy projects and short-sea logistics.
Short SeaAgribulkManufacturing
Annual Cargo85M+ tonnes
Cargo moved through ABP's network each year.
Container Handling~1.3M
Annual container units across the group.
Vehicle Handling1M+
Cars and vehicles handled annually.
Cruise + Ferry~2.8M
Annual passenger movements.
ABP Energy-Transition Ambition
£5.5B+
ABP says its projects with partners are positioned to unlock more than £5.5 billion of future green investment over the coming decade.
Port Talbot
~£500M Floating-Wind Hub
Planned new and repurposed infrastructure would support manufacturing, assembly and marshalling for Celtic Sea floating offshore wind.
National Energy Role
More Than Half of UK Offshore Wind
The transaction announcement says ABP already provides support for more than half of Britain's offshore-wind activity.
IFM Already Has a Global Port Portfolio
Port of Brisbane · 26.7%NSW Ports · 35.1%Baltic Hub · 30%GCT · 37.5%Mersin International Port · 39%
Interactive ABP Strategic Exposure Explorer
What Does Control of ABP Actually Expose IFM To?
Switch between cargo and infrastructure lenses. The purpose is to show why control of ABP carries exposure to several different parts of the British economy rather than one single shipping market.
Network Exposure
Roughly One Quarter of UK Seaborne Trade
ABP's value comes from diversification. Its ports serve deep-sea container trades, bulk commodities, automobiles, RoRo, steel, agricultural cargoes, energy and passenger shipping across multiple regions.
Trade Share~25%
Annual Cargo85M+ tonnes
Public Network21 ports
Control Stake63.88%
Feedback Welcome
We welcome your feedback, suggestions, corrections, and ideas for enhancements.
