News / Competition red tape may tie major carriers in too many knots for more M&A

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The era of large-scale consolidation among the major container carriers is likely at an end, delegates at last week’s TOC Container Supply Chain event in Rotterdam heard.

Lars Jensen, chief executive of SeaIntelligence Consulting, said the largest carriers were now reaching a scale that meant any further consolidation wold likely be impeded by competition authorities.

This was evidenced, he said, by the concessions Maersk had to accept from China’s Ministry of Commerce (Mofcom) in order to win approval for its takeover of Hamburg Süd.

Mofcom required ...