FAS drafted explanations on the procedure for publishing shipping costs by international marine container carriers

The document is aimed at preventing adverse impact upon the competitive environment for this market

Earlier FAS investigated a case against marine container carriers. The Antimonopoly Service concluded that public statement by carriers on the planned or possible price changes on the relevant shipping direction had resulted in fixing the same surcharges to freight rates on the market of linear container shipments.  

Such a statement can be publishing information on price changes by the carriers in the Internet in the form of news mailing and information bulletins for consumers.  

This type of increasing consumer awareness about price changes informs market participants about the each others’ price intentions, and can create preconditions for committing violations in the form of prohibited concerted actions.

FAS, together with other market participants, drafted explanations that contain the rules for conduct of marine container carriers, observing which will reduce to the minimum probability of violating the antimonopoly law.

According to the document, making decisions on price changes, carriers should be guided by market factors, reasonable estimates of potential vessel capacity utilization, necessary shipment expenditures and other economic indicators of own commercial activity, as well as the circumstances that can affect all market participants. Recommendations are that consumers should be informed about price changes only in the non-public form.

Deputy Head of FAS Sergey Puzyrevsky said: “Observing the minimum market conduct requirements of the explanations will enable marine container carriers to avoid antimonopoly enforcement measures in the future”.  

The document is available here.