[070414.EN.BIZ] Eleven Top Freight Forwarders Accused Of Price Fixing By Singapore

THE Competition Commission of Singapore (CCS) has alleged that a number of leading freight forwarding companies participated in a cartel that fixed air freight charges and surcharges between Singapore and Japan.

Accused are Deutsche Post/DHL, Hankyu Hanshin Express, "K" Line Logistics, Kintetsu World Express, MOL Logistics, Nippon Express, and Nishi-Nippon Railroad/NNR Global Logistics.

Also accused are Nissin Corporation/Nissin Transport, Vantec Corporation/Vantec World Transport, Yamato Holdings/Yamato Global Logistics and Yusen Logistics.

The CCS has issued a Proposed Infringement Decision (PID) against 11 freight forwarding companies and their Singapore subsidiaries and affiliates after an initial investigation indicated they had infringed Section 34 of Singapore's Competition Act.

Singapore's competition watchdog said its provisional findings indicated the companies "had collectively fixed certain fees and surcharges and exchanged price and customer information in relation to the provision of air freight forwarding services for shipments from Japan to Singapore."

The CCS would not reveal when the alleged infringements took place. "Should CCS issue an infringement decision, more details would be contained in the decision," said an official.

"The parties have seven weeks from the receipt of the Proposed Infringement Decision to make representations to CCS, which will be assessed before it decides whether to make a final decision in relation to the conduct." said the official.

CCS launched an investigation after receiving an application for immunity under CCS's Leniency Programme from one of the parties involved in the alleged cartel.

In CCS's provisional view, information received during the course of the investigation "evidences that the parties attended meetings in Japan where they exchanged information, discussed and agreed on certain fees and surcharges in relation to air freight forwarding services for shipments from Japan to other countries, including Singapore," CCS said.

Source : HKSG.