APM Terminals and the Maersk shipping line are units of Danish conglomerate A.P. Moller-Maersk Group. Rival shipping lines are contending they will not get a fair shake at the port if the deal - that is valued at about $4 billion over a 48-year period - goes through, according to the report.
The Pilot account includes a letter sent last week to Gov. Bob McDonnell from the managing director of Hanjin Shipping America LLC. Hanjim accounts for the largest volume of import/export traffic through the port, according to the letter.
"This monopoly will clearly be an obstacle to transparency in port operations and competitive, market-based pricing," the letter states.
The state has set a mid-July deadline for competing proposals. Port and state officials told the Virginia Pilot that the concerns will be weighed in the decision making process.
Source: www.dailypress.com