Top executives of Maersk Line are staying tight-lipped about why they are out of the running for the takeover of Singaporean rival Neptune Orient Lines (NOL).

But they concede they may still be interested in the company if CMA CGM is unable to seal a deal by the 7 December deadline.

Maersk chief operating officer (COO) Soren Toft flatly refused, when asked by TradeWinds at a media roundtable session in Singapore this week, to disclose why the company has lost out to CMA CGM in the race to acquire NOL.

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