The Competition Commission has referred a complaint against eight cargo shipping companies to the Competition Tribunal for prosecution. The case, filed on 02 December 2025, concerns alleged price fixing involving General Rate Increases (GRIs) charged for cargo shipped on routes linked to South Africa.
The companies named are Maersk South Africa, Mediterranean Shipping Company, CMA CGM Shipping Agencies South Africa, Pacific International Lines South Africa, Mitsui O.S.K Lines South Africa, Evergreen Agency South Africa, COSCO Shipping Lines South Africa, and K Line Shipping South Africa.
According to the Commission, the companies are global container shipping liners operating on import and export routes connected to South Africa. The complaint alleges that the liners coordinated GRI levels on routes between South Africa and Asia, and between South Africa and West Africa. The conduct is alleged to have occurred between 2008 and 2018 and is said to contravene section 4(1)(b)(i) of the Competition Act, which deals with price fixing.
The investigation found that identical GRIs were charged on routes from Shanghai, Ningbo, and Shekou to Durban, from Durban to Hong Kong, and from Qingdao to Durban.
In a statement, the Commission said the case is intended to address what it describes as coordinated rate setting that affected both imports into South Africa and exports shipped from South Africa.
The matter will now proceed before the Competition Tribunal.
For more information:
Siyabulela Makunga
Competition Commission of South Africa
Tel: +27 (0) 12 394 3493
Email: [email protected]
www.compcom.co.za
