Competition policy on liner shipping : final review

mmpPDFResearch PaperDSTI/DOT(2002)2Liner shippingShipping conferencesCompetitionRegulatory reformEconomic analysisOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and DevelopmentOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and DevelopmentNTL-MARINE/WATERWAYS TRANSPORTATION-Marine Laws and RegulationsNTL-MARINE/WATERWAYS TRANSPORTATION-Marine Economics and FinanceUS Transportation CollectionIf there is one topic that elicits strong reactions in the maritime sector, it is the practice of carriers to commonly fix prices and regulate capacity in international liner shipping. Proponents of these practices vigorously defend these as necessary in order to guarantee the regularity of maritime freight transport services. Opponents, on the other hand, vehemently attack these as one of the last bastions of cartel control of an entire sector. This report examines a) the positive and negative impacts of common pricing under anti-trust exemptions, b) the impacts of conference, discussion and stabilization agreements on the sector, and c) the potential effects that could stem from the removal of anti-trust exemptions for liner shipping in an attempt to determine whether these anti-trust exemptions are beneficial or harmful to society at large. Bibliography, tables, figures, 83 p. This report is also available in French at http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/0/62/2065452.pdf