GUILTY! € 207M Penalty for Scandinavian WWL

EU flagEU flag.Photo: pixabay.com

Norwegian-Swedish WWL (Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics) has been slapped a € 207M fine and is among 5 deep water shipping companies convicted of cartel activities by the European Commission. 3 Japanese and one Chilean shipping company were among those found guilty by prosecution.

 

On Wed., 21 Feb., EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager stated of the successful prosecutions; “These 3 separate anti-trust decisions are proof positive that we’ll not tolerate anti-competitive behavior affecting European consumers
and industries.’

DIRTY TACTICS
Speaking from Brussels, Commissioner Vestager revealed the nature of the crimes; ‘They (sales managers and representatives of the 5 convicted companies) met at each others offices, bars, restaurants and within social contexts.

They had telephone
contact on a regular basis throughout those 6 years. They met regularly to coordinate price, distribute confidential customer information between themselves and frequently exchanged insider business secrets. Instead of competing, they (went so far)
to gave each other free rent on individual routes or with some customers.’

The 5 guilty companies received reduced total penalties after cooperating with the EU Commission prosecution.

Founded 1999, WWL – Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics combined the deep-water shipping transportation companies Wallenius Lines of Sweden and Wilhelmsen Lines of Norway.

 

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today