Second Norwegian shipowner acquires Nedlloyd shareholding

Second Norwegian shipowner acquires Nedlloyd shareholding    Einar Rasmussen, a Norwegian shipowner, has recently acquired a shareholding in soon-to-be-restructured Royal Nedlloyd NV, the Dutch liner shipping and airline company.
   A spokesman for Nedlloyd said company officials have met Rasmussen, and that his shareholding in Nedlloyd exceeded 5 percent last month but has now moved below 5 percent.
   Rasmussen’s investment in Nedlloyd follows the purchase of a 6.7-percent stake in the Dutch company by John Fredriksen, another Norwegian tanker shipping shipowner.
   It is not known whether the two Norwegians are buying into Nedlloyd for purely speculative reasons or as a first step towards an acquisition.
   The managements of Nedlloyd N.V. and Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co., which own the 50-50 joint venture P&O Nedlloyd, aim to change the ownership structure of the venture in April and May. On completion of the proposed restructuring, subject to shareholder approval, Nedlloyd will own 100 percent of P&O Nedlloyd, which will be renamed Royal P&O Nedlloyd.