Covington & Burling LLP has registered to lobby on behalf of CMA CGM, a french container transportation and shipping company, and China’s state-owned port operators China Merchants Holding International, based in Hong Kong, China. The law firm will lobby on the investment by China Merchants Holding International in Terminal Link SAS, a french subsidiary of CMA CGM. China Merchants has reached an agreement to purchase 49% for $543 million. The deal with give China Merchantrs access to a diversified port portfolio of 15 terminals in eight countries. Lobbying at Covington & Burling will be John Veroneau (former Deputy U.S. Trade Representative, and former chief of staff to Sen. Susan Collins and legislative director to former Sen. William Frist)), and Muftiah McCartin (former staff director of House Rules Cmte.), and Bill Wichterman (former Special Asst. to President Bush and policy advisor to former Senate Majority Leader Frist).