UPDATE: Antitrust says Global Ports overcharges for transshipment

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MOSCOW, Mar 24 (PRIME) -- The Federal Antimonopoly Service accuses Petrolesport, the Vostochnaya Stevedoring Company and the First Container Terminal, affiliates of Global Ports, of setting monopolistically high prices on container transshipments, an official of the authority told PRIME on Friday.

“Petrolesport, Vostochnaya Stevedoring Company and the First Container Terminal, we have made three decisions, three orders, the same as with the Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port (NCSP) today,” the official said.

“The antitrust has recognized these companies guilty of monopolistically high prices on container transshipments: the First Container Terminal and Petrolesport – in the Greater Port of St. Petersburg, Vostochnaya Stevedoring Company – in the Vostochny Sea Port.”

Earlier this week, the antimonopoly service found NCSP guilty of setting excessive tariffs for transshipment of several types of cargo and ordered the port to transfer the received income to the federal budget.

Global Ports disagreed with the accusation and plans to contest the decision in court, the company said in a statement.

“The fulfillment of the antimonopoly service’s order will be suspended while the case is considered in court. If the court upholds the decision by the Federal Antimonopoly Service, the company can be charged with an amount equivalent to what was presented as unjustified revenue by the antitrust to the benefit of the federal budget,” the company said.

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