Court upholds vessel-sharing agreement between Maersk and MSC for container shipping

In a judgment session held on December 9, CADE (the administrative council for economic defense) endorsed the extension of an associative contract between the shipping companies Maersk Line and the MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, without restrictions.

Called a Vessel Sharing Agreement (VSA), the purpose of the contract is the continuation of joint operation of a regular weekly line for international maritime transport of containers between the East Coast of South America and the Gulf of Mexico and the United States. The instrument also provides for container space sharing on the vessels of each company.

CADE’s General Superintendence approved the operation without restrictions in October this year. However, a port terminal qualified as a third party interested in the merger filed an appeal against the decision. The case was then brought to the attention of the local authority court.

On Wednesday, the Council considered that the issues raised by the applicant do not cause problems for free competition in the market. Thus, the Court dismissed the appeal, unanimously maintaining the Superintendence’s decision to approve the operation without restrictions.

Access the Concentration Act No. 08700.002724 / 2020-64.

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