Enrique Razon, the billionaire chairman of International Container Terminal Services, Inc (ICTSI), has publicly entered a legal dispute in South Africa, accusing Maersk of employing underhanded tactics to maintain its perceived "dominant position" in the country. Lawyers representing APM Terminals, a subsidiary of Maersk, successfully halted ICTSI's entry into South Africa's largest container port last month. This setback further complicates the African nation's efforts to privatize and upgrade its port infrastructure.

A South African court has issued a temporary injunction blocking ICTSI's 25-year agreement with state-owned Transnet to manage a container terminal in Durban. APM Terminals initiated legal action after losing the bid, contending that ICTSI failed to meet a required solvency benchmark. The court ruled that Transnet's decision to award the contract to ICTSI was "potentially flawed and... unfair to the other bidders," with the judge noting that ICTSI was granted concessions not offered to its competitors.

The temporary block will remain in effect until the conclusion of the court case, which is anticipated to extend into the new year. In a rare public statement, Razon, recognized by Forbes as the second-wealthiest individual in the Philippines, criticized Maersk. He asserted that ICTSI's bid for the Durban contract exceeded APM Terminals' by $100 million. Razon further alleged that Maersk holds a dominant market share in South Africa and possesses "strong pricing leverage."