The Chinese state firm Cosco plans to buy 80% of the logistics company Zippel in Hamburg. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution in Germany has raised concerns, fearing an increase in Beijing's influence over European logistics.

The Chinese state shipping company Cosco is looking to scoop up 80 percent of the Hamburg-based logistics firm Zippel, employing nearly 350 people, through its Dutch subsidiary Goldlead Supply Chain Development, as reported on Wednesday, April 29, by media companies NDR and WDR.

According to their data, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) opposed the deal in the current review of foreign investments, citing the threat of "cumulative acquisitions" from the Chinese state corporation in Germany and Europe.

It is noteworthy that the agency warns precisely about what China openly states as its goal: expanding influence over European ports and transportation deep into the continent. The Federal Cartel Office has already approved the purchase - the final decision rests with the federal government.

Symbol of Hamburg

Zippel, founded in 1876, is considered a symbol of Hamburg - its green trucks with yellow lettering are well known in the city. Zippel transports goods from the port to nearby and distant areas - primarily by road, and in recent years also by rail in containers.

This is precisely the direction that Minfeng Wang, director of Cosco's European division, spoke about a year ago in an interview with "Deutsche Verkehrs-Zeitung": the company aims to go beyond maritime transportation and master delivery to continental areas of Europe by rail.

Already the second major investment

For Cosco, this would be their second major investment in Hamburg: in 2023, the federal government approved the acquisition of a stake in the Tollerort container terminal despite objections from all involved agencies and ministries. At that time, concerns arose among intelligence services and parts of the cabinet that China would gain excessive influence over the port's operations and infrastructure as a whole.

Hamburg is Germany's largest port by cargo turnover and one of the leading ports in Europe. Almost a third of the container turnover comes from goods from or directed to China.

Strategic threat?

Jacob Gunter, an expert from the Berlin Institute for China Studies Merics, warns: "In a hypothetical scenario where Beijing wants to expand its influence, such stakes in logistics networks could acquire strategic significance." The acquisition of Zippel would promote China's officially declared strategy of the "New Silk Road," aimed at building transport infrastructure from Asia to Europe.

In the event of a conflict with China, Beijing could directly influence data flows or transportation infrastructure in Europe through companies like Cosco - posing a threat to the economy and the population.

Economy versus security

The difficulty of choosing between economic interests and security concerns reflects Hamburg's guidelines for foreign economic activity, adopted shortly after discussions surrounding Cosco's first investment in the Hamburg port. The document states that China "remains an important foreign trade partner for the foreseeable future," but at the same time, it is necessary to "reject political influence" and "work on diversifying Hamburg's trade ties."

The investment review conducted by the German Ministry of Economics with the participation of several agencies continues - in 2025, 339 such procedures were initiated.

Zippel and the Chinese embassy in Berlin did not respond to the request, while Cosco stated that "currently it cannot comment" on this matter.

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