A US Department of Justice price-fixing investigation of major container carriers that began two years ago, has collapsed for lack of evidence
A US Department of Justice price-fixing investigation of major container carriers that began two years ago, has collapsed for lack of evidence. The Department of Justice had no comment, but several shipping companies caught up in the probe said they were told the investigation had ended, reported American Shipper.
Geneva-based Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC), the Italian-Swiss shipping giant, said it 'has been informed by the US Department of Justice that the DoJ has closed its investigation into MSC and the global container shipping industry, without bringing charges or imposing penalties'.
Said AP Moller-Maersk: 'We are pleased to confirm that the United States Department of Justice has closed its investigation into containerised shipping and has released Maersk from any obligations under the Grand Jury subpoenas issued during the March 2017 meeting of the International Council of Containership Operators' known as the Box Club.
Container shipping companies were served with subpoenas when attending meetings of the Box Club and World Shipping Council in San Francisco two years ago.
Hapag-Lloyd confirmed it 'was informed that the US Department of Justice, Antitrust Division is closing its investigation without charges against the company, its affiliates or any other current or former employees.'
At the time, the investigation began, there were 18 members of the Box Club were China Cosco Shipping, CMA CGM, Crowley, Evergreen Line, Hamburg Sud, Hapag-Lloyd, Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM), 'K' Line, Maersk Line, MOL, MSC, NYK, OOCL, Pacific International Lines, United Arab Shipping Co. (UASC), Wan Hai, Yang Ming and Zim.
WORLD SHIPPING
