Russian competition regulators have raided the local offices of leading European and Asian ocean carriers as part of a probe into possible cartel activities.
According to foreign press reports carriers caught up in the probe include the top three box carriers Maersk, MSC and CMA CGM, along with three Japanese lines and six from Asia and the Middle East.
Russia’s Federal Anti-monopoly Service (FAS) has issued a statement listing the companies visited and called for information about possible violations of the law by providers of marine transportation.
The other carriers being investigated in Russia are: APL, NYK Line, “K” Line, OOCL, China Shipping, Cosco, Hyundai, Zim Integrated Shipping Services, Evergreen and the logistics company Ocean Container Services.
According to the FAS, under the Russian legislation a physical person found guilty of cartel practices can be fined up to USD 2,000 or disqualified for a period of up to three years. If a company is found guilty, the fine is 1% to 15% of the revenue earned in the market, where the anti-trust regulations were violated.The Russian deep-sea container shipping market is estimated to be worth around US$2 billion a year.
