Shipping Tycoon Aponte’s TiL Gets $2.5 Billion In Private Debt

August 3rd, 2025

By Kat Hidalgo and Silas Brown

Aug 1, 2025 (Bloomberg) –Terminal Investment Ltd., the port operator controlled by Italian billionaire Gianluigi Aponte, raised $2.5 billion through a privately-placed bond sale.

The debt sale by the company, known as TiL, was split between seven, 10-, 12- and 20-year maturities, and ranks among the bigger private placements so far this year, according to people familiar with the matter. The package was denominated in both dollars and euros, they said.

Citigroup Inc. and Mizuho Financial Group Inc. arranged the deal, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the matter is private. Citigroup declined to comment, Mizuho Financial Group, TiL and spokespeople for Gianluigi Aponte didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

The so-called US private placement market is a way for blue-chip businesses to bypass volatile public markets and secure funds directly from institutional investors such as insurers.

The deal comes as tariff uncertainty is putting pressure on the shipping industry, with US and China negotiators continuing trade talks. The firm operates terminals in the port of Long Beach, where 60% of the trade comes directly from China. TiL is part of a consortium alongside Blackrock Inc. that’s bidding for CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd.’s $22.8 billion sale of global ports.

Aponte owns MSC, the controlling shareholder of TiL, according to the firm’s website. GIP and GIC also own stakes in the business.