Freight News, Sea

Commission to keep shipping alliances under the microscope

[ December 23, 2014   //   Chris ]

The Global Shippers’ Forum (GSF) has welcomed the new EU Commissioner for Competition, Margrethe Vestager’s statement that she will keep a ‘close eye’ on container shipping mega-alliances. GSF said it had already called on the European Competition Commission to monitor closely such alliances for compliance with EU competition rules.
GSF secretary general, Chris Welsh, said: “Effective monitoring of such alliances is absolutely essential to ensure they are compliant with the general provisions of the EU competition rules.”
Ms Vestager has said her monitoring will include the 2M alliance between Maersk Line and MSC – the two biggest container carriers in the world – which is set for launch next week, and stated that if necessary she will ‘strike’ against 2M or one of the other major alliances if they were to interfere with free competition.
Commissioner Vestager has also called on shippers and other industry players to pay attention and notify the EU if they suspect something is amiss.

Tags: GSF