The world-wide shipping showdown appears to be claiming another victim:  One of Europe's biggest family businesses is loking to sell the Hamburg Sud shipping line, and one of the top ten shippers is reportedly looking to pick it up.

Hamburg Sud - which reaches all of the major eastern ports in Australia, plus New Zealand - is currently owned by The Oetker Group, which also has interests in banking, beverages, and hospitality in its portfolio.  The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Maersk is putting together a bid for Hamburg Sud, which is the world's seventh-biggest container operator in terms of capacity.  A few years ago, some members of the Oetker family blocked deals with Hapag-Lloyd and Cosco, which were interested in the line because of its strong presence in Latin America.

But even with 70 ships and more than $6.7 billion in revenue last year, Hamburg Sud hauls less than three percent of shipping's global capacity, and that puts it in the crowded second tier of carriers below the big, dominant shipping lines.  The smaller ones are responding to getting squeezed by going through mergers or partnering up in alliances that allow them to spread out costs and risks.  Meanwhile, big shippers like Maersk are not willing to invest in new ships.  For lines like Hamburg Sud, that leaves few competitive options.

Analysts believe the Hamburg Sud's fleet is valued at roughly US$1.4 Billion.