South African trust busters raid carriers in Cape Town, Pietermaritzburg
AGENTS of South Africa's Competition Commission (SACC) have launched "search and seizure" raids the offices of Hamburg Sud, Maersk, Safmarine, MSC, Pacific International Line and CMA CGM in Cape Town and Pietermaritzburg, reports Lloyd's Loading List.
"Cartels of this nature increase the costs of trading in the region and render the region uncompetitive in the world markets. Such cartels derail economic growth of the region," said Competition Commissioner Tembinkosi Bonakele.
The rate-fixing investigation into container lines was prompted by "reasonable grounds to suspect that Hamburg Sud, Maersk, Safmarine, MSC, PIL and CMA CGM have engaged in collusive practices to fix rates for the shipment of cargo from Asia to South Africa in contravention of the Competition Act", said a commission statement.
During the searches, the commission seized documents and electronic data, "which will be analysed together with other information gathered to determine whether these companies have contravened the Competition Act".
Noting that the companies under investigation were involved in the transport of cargo for import and export purposes across the globe, including South Africa.
The commission had warrants authorising it to search the premises of these companies at the Western Cape High Court and Pietermaritzburg High Court.
Maersk confirmed that the SACC had carried out an unannounced inspection on September 28 in its Maersk Line and Safmarine head office in Cape Town.
Said Maersk: "We are cooperating fully with the SACC. The fact that such an inspection has been carried out does not mean that we have engaged in anti-competitive behaviour. Unannounced inspections are often a preliminary step in investigations into suspected infringements of competition rules."
Said MSC: "At this time, we cannot provide further detail, but we are assisting the relevant authorities in their investigations."
AGENTS of South Africa's Competition Commission (SACC) have launched "search and seizure" raids the offices of Hamburg Sud, Maersk, Safmarine, MSC, Pacific International Line and CMA CGM in Cape Town and Pietermaritzburg, reports Lloyd's Loading List.
"Cartels of this nature increase the costs of trading in the region and render the region uncompetitive in the world markets. Such cartels derail economic growth of the region," said Competition Commissioner Tembinkosi Bonakele.
The rate-fixing investigation into container lines was prompted by "reasonable grounds to suspect that Hamburg Sud, Maersk, Safmarine, MSC, PIL and CMA CGM have engaged in collusive practices to fix rates for the shipment of cargo from Asia to South Africa in contravention of the Competition Act", said a commission statement.
During the searches, the commission seized documents and electronic data, "which will be analysed together with other information gathered to determine whether these companies have contravened the Competition Act".
Noting that the companies under investigation were involved in the transport of cargo for import and export purposes across the globe, including South Africa.
The commission had warrants authorising it to search the premises of these companies at the Western Cape High Court and Pietermaritzburg High Court.
Maersk confirmed that the SACC had carried out an unannounced inspection on September 28 in its Maersk Line and Safmarine head office in Cape Town.
Said Maersk: "We are cooperating fully with the SACC. The fact that such an inspection has been carried out does not mean that we have engaged in anti-competitive behaviour. Unannounced inspections are often a preliminary step in investigations into suspected infringements of competition rules."
Said MSC: "At this time, we cannot provide further detail, but we are assisting the relevant authorities in their investigations."