Previously, there was a global top-notch headline news " The world's largest shipping investment bank will open for sale tomorrow!" ! Are Chinese "players" ready? , indicating that the Nordbank—

The world's largest shipping investment bank is officially on sale on January 23 (Monday)!

Apollo Global Management LLC (APO) and China's HNA Group have made bids for HSH Nordbank AG, the state-owned German lender with significant exposure to the shipping industry, according to people familiar with the matter .

HSH Nordbank is desperate to find a buyer or face liquidation. The European Commission last year ordered the bank's owners, the federal states of Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein, to sell their 85 percent stake in the bank. The European Commission has said the bank must be privatized by February 2018.

HNA Group and Apollo Global Management made indicative bids to the bank ahead of the Friday deadline, two people familiar with the matter said. The two people familiar with the matter did not disclose the acquisition bids of HNA and Apollo. The bank said last week it had set aside 2 billion euros ($2.13 billion) in loan loss provisions for bad shipping loans.

The finance ministers of the states of Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein said they would consider takingover talks with interested investors. Any deal still needs EU approval.

HNA Group, helmed by Chinese entrepreneur Chen Feng, has been expanding globally, buying shipping companies, hotel chains and financial stocks. For example, HNA holds a 4.76% stake in Deutsche Bank (DB) through C-Quadrat Asset Management LLP, a subsidiary of British C-Quadrat Investment AG.