The 2M Alliance consists of two globally-largest container shipping lines: MSC and Maersk. And recently, the two giants have been facing accusations of abusing dominance in the container shipping sector in Brazil.
The 2M Alliance consists of two globally-largest container shipping lines: MSC and Maersk. And recently, the two giants have been facing accusations of abusing dominance in the container shipping sector in Brazil.
Dated back to 2015, MSC and Maersk launched a 10-year 2M Alliance vessel sharing agreement on the Asia-Europe, trans-Pacific, and trans-Atlantic trades in order to put their combined capacity into better use. However, it is noted that MSC and Maersk transport up to 79% of containers along the Brazilian coast. There are 7 port terminals directly owned by the two shipping lines in Brazil, handling about 50% of the containerized cargo to and through Brazil.
According to the president of ABTP, namely the Brazilian Association of Port Terminals, the 2M Alliance will take control of the eighth terminal, bringing along a worse situation for other terminals that are not owned by MSC and Maersk. For instance, the container business in Brazil will be done in a way that 2M-Alliance-owned port terminals will be unfairly favored.
A total of 19 other terminals in Brazil that do not belong to the 2M Alliance members are threatened to face a generalized crash if nothing is done, according to the president of ABTP.
