Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.9999 — Blackrock/Koninklijke Vopak/US Gulf Coast Terminals)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2020/C 354/05)

1. On 16 October 2020, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 ( 1 ) This notification concerns the following undertakings: — Koninklijke Vopak N.V. (‘Vopak’, the Netherlands), — BlackRock Alternatives Management, LLC (‘BAM’, United States) in its capacity as investment manager for Global Energy & Power Infrastructure Fund III, L.P. (‘GEPIF III’, Cayman Islands), — US Gulf Coast Terminals (‘the Target’, United States), belonging to the Dow Chemical Company (United States). Vopak and BAM acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the Target. The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of assets.

2. The business activities of the undertakings concerned are: — for BAM: investment management company which offers portfolio construction, asset management and investment advisory services. BAM controls and manages investment decisions of GEPIF III, a fund which operates globally and focusses on investments in the energy and power infrastructure value chain. BAM is an indirectly wholly owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc., active in the provision of global investment management, risk management and advisory services to institutional and retail clients around the world, — for Vopak: active in the storage and handling of various oil, chemicals, edible oils and natural gas-related products. It provides its services on a worldwide basis and operates terminals in Asia, the Middle East, North and South America, Europe and Africa, — for the Target: three active US Gulf Coast marine and terminal operations and related assets, that is, the Freeport Terminal (Texas), the St. Charles Terminal (Louisiana) and the Plaquemine Terminal (Louisiana). These terminals provide tank storage services for chemicals and refined products for the US Gulf Coast.

3. On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under the Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice.

4. The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission. Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. The following reference should always be specified: M.9999 - Blackrock/Koninklijke Vopak/US Gulf Coast Terminals Observations can be sent to the Commission by email, by fax, or by post. Please use the contact details below: Email: COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu Fax +32 22964301 Postal address: European Commission Directorate-General for Competition Merger Registry 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel BELGIQUE/BELGIË

(1) OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’).

(2) OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.