The Vietnam Maritime Administration will launch an investigation of 12 shipping lines for freight fees, charges and surcharges, and issues related to ocean container shipping services.

Vietnam will investigate 12 shipping lines for freight fees, surcharges. Photo: VMA

The shipping companies are subject to the investigation include: Denmark-based Maersk, Switzerland’s Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), China-based COSCO, French CMA - CGM, German Hapad -Lloyd, Chinese Taipei Evergreen, South Korea’s Huyndai Merchant Marine (HMM), Taiwan’s YangMing, Singapore-based Pacific International Lines (PIL), Hong Kong-based Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) and Taipei-headquartered Interasia.

Ocean Network Express (ONE) jointly operated by Japanese lines Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line), Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) is also on the list.

The Vietnam Maritime Administration (VMA) requires the shipping companies to provide relevant documents on listed prices, information on freight rates and surcharges of shipping lines to Europe and the US, and vice versa from 2020 to present. 

The authority launches the investigation following complaints of local associations, importers and exporters about the increase of ocean freight since late October 2020, especially shipping costs to Europe and the US.  

In February, a task force has been set up to ensure shipping companies complying with the government’s Decree No.146 detailing regulations on quoting fees and surcharges of ocean container freight and seaport charges, in a drive to remove difficulties for import and export activities. 

The task force, led by VMA Vice Head Hoang Hong Giang, includes 13 members from the ministries of Transport and Industry and Trade. They are responsible for addressing complaints from forwarders that there has been unreasonable surge in container shipping rates.