The association said it would survey its entire membership on current container line practices and the competition law easements and exemptions lines benefit from. The responses will be used as evidence in a submission to the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
The evidence gathering comes after BIFA called earlier this year for an investigation into container line “blatant profiteering” as the deep sea container market has consolidated and COVID impacts brought record container line profits while service levels fell.
Complaints have been received by the BIFA secretariat on high freight rates, surcharges and business practices which limit forwarder market access, said BIFA Director General, Robert Keen.
“BIFA believes that after communication with the CMA, it is clear that substantive evidence will be required for them to consider a review of the maritime supply chain, including shipping line practices that may be distorting the operations of the free market to the detriment of international trade,” said Keen.
Keen added that the data and information from the survey will be aggregated with no information that identifies individual respondents.
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