Hapag-Lloyd will acquire the Israeli shipping company ZIM. The deal was announced in February 2026 and has a volume of approximately 4.2 billion USD. ZIM shareholders have already approved the sale. However, the matter is far from finalized. The reason lies in Israel. There, political resistance against the acquisition is growing. According to reports, several ministries oppose the deal, including the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Transport, and the Shipping and Ports Authority. The concerns are understandable. ZIM is not just any shipping company. For Israel, ZIM is strategically important as a significant amount of goods enters the country via maritime routes. The reports address national security, food supply, and the question of whether Israel will retain sufficient maritime control after the sale. It is planned that part of ZIM will continue under a new Israeli company. This new entity is often referred to as New ZIM or ZIM Israel. It is expected to be controlled by the Israeli investor FIMI and secure certain strategic connections for Israel. Official documents refer to 16 ships. Individual reports mention 12 owned and 4 chartered ships. This is where the controversy lies. Critics argue that this residual structure is too small to adequately secure Israel's supply in an emergency. The topic of food is particularly sensitive. According to media reports, ZIM currently handles about one-third of Israel's maritime food imports. The case is also politically charged. Among the major shareholders of Hapag-Lloyd are Qatar Holding and the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund PIF. This raises additional security concerns in Israel, even though Hapag-Lloyd itself is a German company based in Hamburg. For the shipping industry, the deal would still be a significant step. Hapag-Lloyd would substantially strengthen its position in container traffic. ZIM brings strong routes and experience in the Mediterranean, Transpacific, and other markets. However, until the closing, both companies are expected to continue operating separately. For customers, this means: Business as usual for now. Hapag-Lloyd and ZIM will remain competitors until the deal is finalized. Whether the deal will actually be concluded by the end of 2026 now heavily depends on Israeli approvals and other regulatory reviews.