FOURTEEN of the world's largest ocean carriers will face anti-trust probe by the European Commission with only one of its top 10 to escape court proceedings.
They include China Shipping Container Lines, CMA CGM, Cosco Container Lines, Evergreen Line, Hapag-Lloyd, Hanjin Shipping, Hyundai Merchant Marine, Maersk Line, MOL, Mediterranean Shipping Co, OOCL, NYK, United Arab Shipping Co and Zim.
Danish shipping group Maersk, Swiss-based MSC, France's CMA CGM, Germany's Hapag-Lloyd and Taiwanese Evergreen have confirmed that they are among the shipping lines under investigation for anti-competitive behaviour.
APL, the container shipping arm of Singapore's Neptune Orient Lines (NOL), Hamburg Sud, Yang Ming, "K" Line, Pacific International Lines and CSAV are not subject to investigation at this time.
The probe will focus on price-fixing following raids on several European offices in May 2011 which included carriers that have been discounted from the anti-competitive behaviour.
The competition watchdog will examine whether any breach of rules occurred since 2009 when shipping lines announced price-increase intentions in press statements or via their websites.
The EC requirements differ from the US Federal Maritime Commission which requires publishing on its website within 30 days of rate increases.
They include China Shipping Container Lines, CMA CGM, Cosco Container Lines, Evergreen Line, Hapag-Lloyd, Hanjin Shipping, Hyundai Merchant Marine, Maersk Line, MOL, Mediterranean Shipping Co, OOCL, NYK, United Arab Shipping Co and Zim.
Danish shipping group Maersk, Swiss-based MSC, France's CMA CGM, Germany's Hapag-Lloyd and Taiwanese Evergreen have confirmed that they are among the shipping lines under investigation for anti-competitive behaviour.
APL, the container shipping arm of Singapore's Neptune Orient Lines (NOL), Hamburg Sud, Yang Ming, "K" Line, Pacific International Lines and CSAV are not subject to investigation at this time.
The probe will focus on price-fixing following raids on several European offices in May 2011 which included carriers that have been discounted from the anti-competitive behaviour.
The competition watchdog will examine whether any breach of rules occurred since 2009 when shipping lines announced price-increase intentions in press statements or via their websites.
The EC requirements differ from the US Federal Maritime Commission which requires publishing on its website within 30 days of rate increases.
