The South African Competition Commission has referred a complaint against eight cargo shipping companies to the Competition Tribunal for prosecution.
The eight cargo shipping companies are Maersk South Africa, MSC, CMA CGM, Pacific International Lines South Africa, Mitsui O.S.K Lines South Africa, Evergreen Agency South Africa, COSCO Shipping Lines South Africa, and K Line Shipping South Africa, collectively referred to as the respondents.
They are alleged to have engaged in the fixing of the rates, called General Rate Increase, charged to customers for the shipment of general cargo en route from South Africa to Asia and back and from South Africa to West Africa and back. The conduct is alleged to have started in 2008 and ceased in 2018.
The Commission’s investigation found that the respondents charged the same GRI for the routes from Shanghai, Ningbo and Shekou to Durban, from Durban to Hong Kong, and from Qingdao to Durban.
“The dismantling of the cartel will reduce the price of goods imported to South Africa for the benefit of consumers and will also reduce the costs of exports out of South Africa, which will, in turn, render the South African exports competitive in the world markets,” said Commissioner Doris Tshepe