The European Union (EU) Commission has closed its formal investigation into 14 container shipping companies over General Rate Increase (GRI) announcements, ruling that there had been no infringement of EU competition law.
The commission opened the investigation on November 21, 2013 over concerns that the companies' practice of publishing their intentions of future price increases may have harmed competition and customers.
The 14 container shipping companies that were under investigation, were: Maersk Line, Mediterranean Shipping Company ( MSC); CMA CGM; Hapag Lloyd; Hamburg Sud; Evergreen; China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO); Oriental Overseas Container Line (OOCCL); Hanjin; Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM); Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL); NYK Line; United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) and Zim Integrated Shipping.
