Fiat Chrysler Sues Shippers over Alleged Price Fixing
The automaker wants the Federal Maritime Commission to order payments from Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics AS and its sister company EUKOR Car Carriers Inc, Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd, Compania Sud Americana de Vapores, Hoegh Autoliners AS and affiliated companies. Fiat Chrysler filed its complaint on Oct. 17. All but one of the shippers sued by Fiat Chrysler pleaded guilty and admitted to price fixing as part of a Justice Department investigation. The remaining firm, Hoegh, agreed last month to plead guilty and pay a $21 million criminal fine.
FMC Commissioner Doyle Rejects Blanket Authorities for Foreign Ro/Ro Carriers
Commissioner William P. Doyle Votes to reject joint contracting authority for Ro/Ro foreign carriers to negotiate collectively for U.S.-Flag tug services. Doyle's Statement, shown below, says new rules go beyond the scope of the Shipping Act and shipping practices harmful to U.S. Today, I voted to disapprove the roll-on roll-off (Ro/Ro) WLL/Eukor/ARC/Glovis Cooperative Working Agreement amendment involving Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics AS (WWL), Eukor Car Carriers Inc. (Eukor), American Roll-on Roll-off Carrier LLC (ARC), and Hyundai Glovis Co. Ltd. (Glovis) (collectively Parties). This amendment filed with the Federal Maritime Commission seeks to broaden the authority of the Parties to jointly solicit bids for contracts covering the provision of tug services…
China Fines 8 Global Shippers
China is going after container shipping lines for freight rate abuses. The Chinese Ministry of Transport has fined a total of $65 million on price-fixing charges. The National Development and Reform Commission said in a statement that the imposed fines are equivalent to 4% to 9% of their international shipping sales “concerning transport to and from China". The investigation lasted for more than a year, the NDRC said. Japan's Nippon Yusen KK, Mitsui OSK lines, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha and Eastern Car Liner, Korea's Eukor Car Carriers, Norway's Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, Chile's Cia Sud Americana de Vapores and its shipping line were the eight indicted after a year-long investigation.
Trident Alliance Formed, First Members Announced
The Trident Alliance, a shipping industry initiative for enforcement of maritime sulphur regulations, has today been formally launched. The Trident Alliance is a coalition of shipowners and operators who share a common interest in robust enforcement of maritime sulphur regulation and are willing to collaborate to help bring it about. The Alliance will partner with other groups who share its interest in robust enforcement, to support this objective. The Trident Alliance welcomes all shipping companies that subscribe to the above. The current membership list includes: American Roll-on Roll-off Carrier (ARC), EUKOR Car Carriers Inc., Höegh Autoliners, J. Lauritzen, Maersk, Rickmers-Linie, Stena, Torvald Klaveness, UECC, Unifeeder and Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics.
APS Stevedoring Starts Portland Auto Terminal
APS Stevedoring LLC, an auto and general/breakbulk cargo stevedoring company headquartered in Long Beach, Calif., recently added to its terminal and stevedoring locations with Hyundai Motor’s Portland, Oregon, Terminal 6 - Berth 601 auto terminal. On May 2, 2012 APS discharged 976 imported Hyundai units and loaded back 179 Ford exports to Eukor Car Carriers’ M/V Ryujin. The two major car carriers at this facility are Eukor Car Carriers Inc and Glovis. Additionally, K Line and MOL have occasional space charters. Current auto makers include Hyundai for imports, with an estimated annual volume of 80,000 units, and Ford for export, with other possible export manufacturers to come. Average units per arrival are 1,500.
Norway: Teekay Seeks to Grow Suezmax Fleet
Expanding the Suezmax fleet and greater involvement in carrying oil products are among the ambitions being pursued by theTeekay Tanker Services (TTS) business unit of Teekay. "At the same time, we're working to expand our strong Aframax position," said TTS Vice President Peder Farmen, who heads the product transport sector of TTS from the group's Norwegian office in Stavanger. Teekay's conventional shipping operations in Norway have further diversified the company's fleet, the majority of which is comprised of Aframax vessels. Since Teekay's acquisitions of Bona Shipholding in 1999, Ugland Nordic Shipping in 2001 and Navion in 2002, Teekay has established itself as a leading tanker operator in the North Sea and Atlantic, in addition to the Pacific.
