Brazilian Association of Port Terminals accuses Maersk and MSC of exploiting their dominance

The Brazilian Association of Port Terminals (ABTP) has officially asked the country’s Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE) to investigate possible exploitation by Maersk and MSC of their dominant position in Brazil’s maritime container industry.

The association accuses the two carriers, which it says together transport 79% of containers along the Brazilian coast, of directing cargo to the seven port terminals they own. According to ABTP, those seven terminals handle almost half of Brazil’s containerised cargo.

ABTP president Jesualdo Conceição Silva noted in an interview with Farol Econômico that the situation is likely to worsen, as Maersk won an auction in July to buy Atlântico Sul Shipyard at the Port of Suape.

Silva sees the possibility that areas in Brazil where Maersk and MSC do not have terminals will be disadvantaged to the point that their ports are no longer economically viable.

“More than 95% of our foreign trade is done via ports,” he said. “We are talking about national sovereignty here.”