Shippers Call For Container Cartel Reform

Cargo shippers from Europe, Asia and the U.S. called for the repeal of international maritime legislation protecting container shipping price fixing groups from normal anti-trust rules. A meeting of shippers' organizations from the three continents has backed proposals to reform the 125 year old liner shipping conference system, the European Shippers' Council (ESC) said. European shipowners are moving toward supporting some liberalization but on a sector-by-sector basis, the U.K. Chamber of Shipping said. But containershipping lines would be unlikely to support full deregulation of their sector, shipping analysts said.