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The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of parts of Bominflot Bunkergesellschaft für Mineralöle mbH & Co. by Marquard & Bahls AG.

The Commission concluded that the transaction would not raise competition concerns because it would 'not significantly alter the market structure'.

Marquard & Bahls's main activities are in in oil trading, tank-terminal storage, aviation fuelling services and renewable energies. Bominflot is mainly active in physical bunkering and bunker trading, as well as in the operation of tank farms and barges and related activities such as offering tank-terminal storage services in Northern Germany.

Both Marquard & Bahls and Bominflot are active in the tank-terminal storage of light petroleum products. Marquard & Bahls is also active in the wholesale of light petroleum products.

The Commission examined the competitive effects of the proposed merger, notably the overlaps between Marquard & Bahls' and Bominflot's activities in tank-terminal storage in northern Germany, as well as the vertical link between tank terminal storage and the wholesale of light petroleum products.

The Commission found that the proposed merger would not alter the competitive conditions in the relevant markets. Therefore the Commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it.

Mabanaft is the trading division of Marquard & Bahls. The business encompasses international trading and the import and wholesale of petroleum products. Furthermore, the company is active in service stations, heating-oil retail, lubricants, biofuels, wood pellets as well as bunkering.

Via its subsidiary Matrix Marine, Mabanaft has been involved in the bunkering business for almost 15 years. The 1997 acquisition of Matrix Marine Fuels, based in Houston, marked Mabanaft's entry into the business, since which it has established itself as a leading independent supplier of bunker fuels and related services. Current locations are the US Gulf Coast, Singapore, Oman and India.