THE US Federal Maritime Commission has requested more information from the G6 container shipping lines, APL, Hapag Lloyd, HMM, MOL, NYK and OOCL, which want to offer joint services to Asia-US ports as well as to Europe and the Mediterranean.
The decision on the G6 mirrors an earlier FMC demand for more information from the proposed P3 vessel-sharing alliance of Maersk Line, Mediterranean Shipping Co and CMA CGM on the transpacific, transatlantic and Asia-Europe trade lanes.
The G6 move by FMC Commissioner William Doyle has stopped the clock on the 45-day regulatory waiting period for the G6 agreement that was filed on December 2 and would have commenced on January 16 had no further questions been raised.
A new 45-day period will begin after the G6 alliance members have submitted responses to this request for additional information, reported American Shipper.
The agreement will then become effective unless the FMC makes a further request for information and documents from the filing parties.
Curiously, MOL's 2009 decision to withdraw from the Transpacific Stabliisation Agreement (TSA) over anti-trust liability concerns, has created a paradox in its present G6 arrangement.
FMC commissioner Richard Lidinsky pointed out that only five G6 members are members of the TSA, membership of which provides antitrust immunity under the US Shipping Act of 1984, reported Lloyd's List.
"Of particular concern is how the proposed service centres will operate autonomously of the parties to the agreement and how the five members of the alliance belonging to the TSA will act independently from the one lone independent carrier in setting rates for certain routes covered by the agreement," said Mr Lidinsky.
The regulator can also seek an injunction to prevent an agreement from coming into effect if it finds "the agreement is likely, by a reduction in competition, to produce an unreasonable reduction in transport service or an unreasonable increase in transport costs."
Mr Doyle said he was among those voting in favour of asking for extra information from G6 parties, according to media reports.
"I have reviewed the proposed G6 Amendment and agree with the questions proposed by the commission," he said.
"I also submitted questions related to the impact this amendment would have on consumers, the US-flag international fleet, small businesses and third party interests such as terminals, vendors and bunker suppliers," he said.
"I trust that the G6 parties will thoroughly address all the questions posed in the commission's request for additional information."
The existing G6 agreement authorises alliance members to share vessel space with each other and to cooperate on the trade between Asia and the US east coast.
WORLD SHIPPING
18 January 2014 - 02:33
US FMC stops clock, demands information, holding up G6 as it did P3
THE US Federal Maritime Commission has requested more information from the G6 container shipping lines, APL, Hapag Lloyd, HMM, MOL, NYK and OOCL, which want to offer joint services to Asia-US ports as well as to Europe and the Mediterranean.
WORLD SHIPPING
18 January 2014 - 02:33
US FMC stops clock, demands information, holding up G6 as it did P3
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