News / Container line alliances reduce shipper choice, says ITF as the EC reviews the rules

ID 129936475 © Mr.siwabud Veerapaisarn | Dreamstime.com

The EU should end the block exemption against forming consortia the liner shipping industry currently enjoys, says a new report from the OECD-funded International Transport Forum.

In September, the European Commission reopened its investigation into the block exemption which allows carriers to operate alliances on trades that serve the EU.

Brought into law in 2010 – following the EU’s decision to outlaw the conference system that allowed shipping lines to jointly set freight rates – the Maritime Consortia Block Exemption Regulation has enabled carriers to jointly run ...