Irish Continental Group's independent board has reaffirmed its unanimous recommendation for Bluefin Bidco Limited's cash acquisition, saying the terms remain fair and reasonable after reviewing letters from certain shareholders and Bluefin Bidco's 17 August 2026 "no increase" statement. The board said Institutional Shareholder Services continues to support the deal and urged shareholders to vote in favour of the scheme and related resolutions at the Scheme Meetings and Extraordinary General Meeting on 28 August 2026. Rejecting arguments made by Oxy Capital, which it said holds about 1.4% of ICG's issued share capital, the board said Oxy mischaracterised ICG's business and relied on valuation precedents that were either port operators or older ferry transactions that pre-date the current interest-rate and operating environment. The board added that ICG's Container & Terminals division accounts for about 20% of group EBITDA and said its review of strategic alternatives, including further returns of capital, disposals and a formal sale process, found none would offer the same value and certainty as the scheme. It also said no third party had submitted a firm proposal over several years of outreach by advisers to financial sponsors, investment banks and infrastructure investors, and that no alternative approach has emerged since the Rule 2.7 announcement. Separately, ICG said it will release its results for the half year ended 30 June 2026 on the afternoon of 19 August 2026 to give shareholders more time to review them before the voting deadlines.