MSC's Aponte makes move for Alitalia

Gianluigi Aponte, chairman of Mediterranean Shipping Co., is part of a consortium of investors preparing a bid for Alitalia, Italy's ailing national airline, according to various media outlets.

Aponte and his fellow investors have reportedly made a conditional offer of about 400 million euros ($578 million) to acquire certain Alitalia assets, including some of its passenger fleet but nothing from the cargo unit. The consortium is said to want to merge Alitalia with privately held Air One.

In an interview with Italian newspaper Sole 24 Ore, Aponte said his personal investment in the new Alitalia will be from 100 million euros up. He added that he was opposed to allowing a rival airline to obtain any shareholding in Alitalia.