Babcock and Brown acquires Finnish port operators

Babcock and Brown acquires Finnish port operators    Babcock and Brown Infrastructure (BBI) said it has acquired two Finnish port operators, Oy Rauma Stevedoring and Oy Botnia Shipping.
   The two together comprise the largest paper port operator and third-largest container port operator in Finland.
   Jeff Pollock, BBI’s chief operating officer of transport, said this transaction is one of several ports in a pipeline of European port opportunities being considered by BBI.
   BBI said the operators handle more than 7 million tons per annum of containers, forestry and dry bulk products, about 65 percent of which can be attributed to its current owner UPM.
   UPM, listed in Helsinki and New York, is one of the world’s leading forest products groups.
   BBI said it now controls a portfolio of five European port companies, with operating concessions in 11 ports throughout Europe.