EU COMPETITION POLICY AND LINER SHIPPING CONFERENCES

Liner services were developed in the latter half of the nineteenth century when reliable steam power made it possible for the first time for shipping companies to provide regular scheduled services. The provision of scheduled services created a problem for shipping companies, since the failure to co-ordinate such services often led to the bunching of arrivals in ports, and competition for cargo among rival firms proved destructive owing to the predominance of fixed costs in liner shipping operations. The problem was solved by self-regulation through the creation of cartels known as shipping conferences. Liner shipping conferences were among the earliest forms of cartels in international trade. They were widespread by the turn of the century and covered most international trade routes by then. A conference agreement is an agreement among scheduled carriers on a particular trade route to restrict competition among themselves by setting mutually agreed freight rates and conditions of service. This policy note discusses the application of European Union (EU) competition law to shipping conferences, and in particular to conference agreements covering North Atlantic trades.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/856156
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Bath

  Claverton Down
  Bath, Avon  United Kingdom  BA2 7AY
• Authors:
  • Gardner, Brendon J
• Publication Date: 1997-9

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 317-324
• Serial:
  • Journal of Transport Economics and Policy
  • Volume: 31
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: University of Bath
  • ISSN: 0022-5258
  • Serial URL: http://www.jtep.com

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Competition; Conferences; Liner shipping; Steamships; Trade routes
• Identifier Terms: European Union; U.S. Maritime Administration
• Uncontrolled Terms: Federal maritime board; U.s. shipping board
• Geographic Terms: Europe
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Freight Transportation; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00763807
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 20 1999 12:00AM