MSC denies media report it looking to buy stake in Hapag-Lloyd

June 17 (Reuters) - MSC, the world's largest container shipping company, denied a report by Manager Magazin published on Wednesday that its founder and executive chairman Gianluigi Aponte is looking to acquire a stake in German rival Hapag-Lloyd.

"This report is not true," MSC told Reuters. Hapag Lloyd declined to comment on the report.

Citing sources, the business magazine had reported that Aponte had been in talks with Hapag-Lloyd's main shareholders for some time despite being brushed off.

German billionaire Klaus-Michael Kuehne and Chilean shipping company Compania Sud Americana De Vapores each hold 30% in Hapag-Lloyd, LSEG data show.

(Reporting by Linda Pasquini, editing by Thomas Seythal and Madeline Chambers)