The US has given security clearance to Cosco Shipping Holdings's $6.3bn takeover of OOCL.

The Chinese state company said that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States cleared the deal for the Hong Kong container line.

It is thought to be the final piece on the regulatory jigsaw.

Cosco had already said on 29 June that all pre-conditions to the offer had been met when it won clearance from a Chinese anti-trust body.