Independent journal on economy and transport policy
01:04 GMT+2
This page has been automatically translated by Original news
Fines in the port of Constanta for limitations to the competition in the fields of the pilotage and the towing
an investigation has ascertained the existence of pacts between the operators
September 6, 2016
The Authority for competition of Rumania has comminato endorsements for a total of 22,3 million she (almost five million euro) to the companies that operate services of pilotage and towing in the port of Constanta. The fines are applied to conclusion of under way investigations in November 2012 on the market of the pilotage services and of towing in the ports that are managed by Compania Nationala Administrata Porturilor Maritime IT KNOWS Constanza (CNAPM), the public society that manages the port of Constanta, the ports satellites of Midia and Mangalia and the tourist port of Tomis.
The authority has explained that the inquiry has ascertained the existence of various agreements that have eliminated the competition in the ports of Constanta, Midia and Mangalia and that these less attractive services for the potential investor have blocked the income in the market of other operators having been profitable moreover.
The fines are inflicted to the societies Canal Sea Services (780 thousand euros), Blacks Sea Pilots (351 thousand euros), Maritime Pilot (88 thousand euros), Compania de Maritime Remorcare Coremar (297 thousand euros) and Logistic Remo Services (793 thousand euros)
The Authority for competition has specified that Canal Sea Services, Black Sea Pilots and Maritime Pilot, with which in the 2012 CNAPM has undersigned the contracts for the development of the services of pilotage in the harbour ports of call under its jurisdiction, has decided to exclude every form of competition is by other societies and from each other and they have established to coordinate their job through a head pilot and to share pilot's boats and means. The agreement between the operators among other things includes a penitentiary clause that allows to an operator to exit from the pact through the million payment five euro.
The authority for competition has emphasized that this practical one has determined an increase of the rates for the pilotage and has remembered that a relationship published last june from the OCSE evidences that the rates debited for services of pilotage in the ports of Rumania are 2-3 advanced times regarding those practiced in other ports of the European Union that enliven an analogous volume total of goods, as Barcelona, Valencia, Genoa and Koper.
Relatively to the towing services, CNAPM has entrusted them to the Logistic Remo Services, society constituted for this purpose from the Canal Sea Services, the Black Sea Pilots and the Coremar. Also the agreement between the three operators includes a clause in order to exit from the pact with the payment of a million penitentiary ten euro.
The authority has endorsed for beyond 2,6 million euros the CNAPM that invoice and supplies, even if not directly, the pilotage services withholding 25% of the proceeds total and subdividing the quota remaining between the operators independently from the number of maneuvers executed from each society. The fine is burdened with to the CNAPM for abuse of dominant position in the market of the marine pilotage.
Moreover the authority for competition has accused harbour authority CNAPM to relatively have tax to the towing services more restrictive conditions regarding those previewed from the law, for example demanding lessened the minimal number of tugs advanced demanded from the law and in such a way it has limited the competition with the creation of obstacles to the access at the market by other operators.
- Via Raffaele Paolucci 17r/19r - 16129 Genoa - ITALY
phone: +39.010.2462122, fax: +39.010.2516768, e-mail
VAT number: 03532950106
Press Reg.: nr 33/96 Genoa Court
Editor in chief: Bruno Bellio No part may be reproduced without the express permission of the publisher