TWO Matson subsidiaries must face claims from rival container shipping company American President Lines (APL) that Matson abused its market power over service from the United States to Guam, a federal judge has ruled in an antitrust lawsuit, reports Reuters.
The complaint takes issue with a loyalty programme that offered discounts to cargo owners that shipped with Matson, and it said Matson 'deployed an offensive of predatory threats to coerce shippers not to do business' with its rival.
us District Judge Christopher Cooper in Washington, DC, declined to dismiss claims against Matson Navigation Company and Matson Logistics brought by American President Lines seeking unspecified damages for violations of US competition law.
Matson declined to comment. American President Lines, now a unit of French shipping giant CMA CGM, did not comment either.
US law says only American-owned vessel companies can transport containers between two US ports. There is an exemption in the law that says non-US owned shippers can transport between the US and Guam.
SeaNews Turkey
The complaint takes issue with a loyalty programme that offered discounts to cargo owners that shipped with Matson, and it said Matson 'deployed an offensive of predatory threats to coerce shippers not to do business' with its rival.
us District Judge Christopher Cooper in Washington, DC, declined to dismiss claims against Matson Navigation Company and Matson Logistics brought by American President Lines seeking unspecified damages for violations of US competition law.
Matson declined to comment. American President Lines, now a unit of French shipping giant CMA CGM, did not comment either.
US law says only American-owned vessel companies can transport containers between two US ports. There is an exemption in the law that says non-US owned shippers can transport between the US and Guam.
SeaNews Turkey