Antitrust Authority head Prof. David Gilo declared two major ports the Haifa Port Company Ltd. and the Ashdod Port Company Ltd. an oligopoly within the port services market.
The declaration means that the two companies will not be allowed to operate the planned new terminals to be built adjacent to the existing ports.
Gilo said he intends to instruct the oligopoly to allow new market entrants to use their infrastructure to lessen the barrier to entry in the ports services market.
The directive was issued last week, following the ports’ hearings that took place over the past few months.
On May 16, 2013, the Restrictive Trade Practices General Director informed the Ashdod Port Company Ltd. and the Haifa Port Company Ltd., the governmental companies operating the Israeli ports of Ashdod and Haifa, respectively of his intention to declare them, subject to a hearing process, members of 'an oligopoly' in supply of container loading and unloading services.
