Brussels has started an investigation against several companies active in the container shipping industry . The European Commission suspects prohibited price fixing.

The Commission annonced this today in Brussels. According to DG enterprise, the tariffs for the transportation of containers to and from Europe would be affected  by this price fixing, which is ultimately detrimental to the consumer.

Brussels cites as examples the potential container services between Asian ports Beijing , Shanghai and Singapore and the European ports of Rotterdam , Hamburg and Southampton . The EU does not want to mention the names of the companies .

The Dutch shippers’ organization EVO welcomes the investigation .

The European Commission announced two years ago, unannounced inspections of companies active in the container liner shipping industry . The largest container shipping company in the world , the Danish Maersk confirmed to be one of the companies to be audited . Brussels then examined possible agreements on pricing or capacity on transmission lines to and from the European Union and other European countries , according to the group .

Maersk was not available for comment this friday on the EU investigation . Germany’s Hapag – Lloyd and the French CMA CMG , two other companies were also not available for comment.

source: nieuwsbladtransport.nl