Rhenus Expands Latin America Presence

Rhenus Group has expanded its presence in Latin America after acquiring Colombia-headquartered BLU Logistics and securing a 51 percent share in Curacao-based global port operator LBH Group.

According to Rhenus, BLU Logistics is a leading Latam freight forwarder present in Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay and Uruguay, as well as in mainland China and Hong Kong with more than 180,000 TEUs of ocean freight volume.

The deal, subject to approval by Colombian antitrust authorities, will enable Rhenus to leverage BLU’s “robust” trans-Pacific forwarding network and allow BLU to extend its reach to European and Indian trade lanes, it said.

“This is a win-win-win for BLU Logistics, Rhenus, and above all, our customers,” said David Kassin, who has been named CEO for Rhenus Air & Ocean Latam. “The global Rhenus network gives us the possibility to further explore other regions and to expand our client base to new segments and geographies, especially to India and the Middle East, as well as Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America.”

LBH Group, meanwhile, operates in more than 30 countries worldwide, including six in Latin American, and boasts additional alliances in several Central American nations.

The acquisition of a majority share in the firm will enable Rhenus to enter and cover the Latin American, Asian, Australian and African markets as a globally oriented port agency with business sites in 24 countries worldwide as well as alliances in 7 additional countries, it said.

Rhenus aims to extend the takeover to include 100 percent of the shares in the coming years.

Germany-headquartered Rhenus, which already has established operations in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico, said the two deals have expanded its Latin American workforce by 2,200 employees.

“Our strategic acquisitions allow us to further strengthen our global network and service portfolio in the Latam region, where we see increasing demand for logistics services, especially for the e-commerce industry,” said Tobias Bartz, CEO and chairman of the Rhenus Group. “In addition, the region’s proximity to the North American market fosters a robust environment for nearshoring, which aligns perfectly with our growth strategy.”


Rhenus Project Logistics USA, a division of Rhenus Group, will be exhibiting at Breakbulk Americas 2023, taking place at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas.