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[세종=이데일리 원다연 기자] The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries is considering establishing an organization that can manage and supervise unfair behavior in the shipping industry on the occasion of a surge in shipping freight rates in the context of Corona 19.
According to the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries on the 26th, a’Research on related systems to establish order in the shipping market’ service announcement was recently made.
The service is detailed in the task, and includes the preparation of examination standards for unfair joint actions in the shipping market and review of the composition of the’Shipping Market Committee’ (tentative name) suitable for the shipping business.
Currently, the Fair Trade Commission is in charge of judging the joint actions of shipping companies in determining freight rates, but it is interpreted as an attempt to establish a self-management and supervision system in the shipping market by reflecting the view that there may be aspects that may not sufficiently reflect the characteristics of the shipping industry. do.
Article 29 of the Shipping Act stipulates that’shippers may engage in contracts or joint actions regarding freight rates, ship arrangements, and cargo loading’. It reflects the international norms that joint actions between companies are necessary for smooth global logistics communication.
It is pointed out that the provision may conflict with the Fair Trade Act. The FTC is conducting a price-fixing investigation targeting domestic shipping companies such as (formerly Hyundai Merchant Marine) and Janggeum Merchant Marine in 2018, but the investigation continues to this day. In fact, in the United States, a separate Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) supervises and manages the shipping market, and the Fair Trade Act does not apply to the joint actions of shipping companies.
The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries said it is not considering establishing a separate supervisory and management organization right away. An official from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries said, “The main content is to conduct an investigation based on the recent increase in shipping freight rates and to maintain necessary guidelines,” and said, “There is no concrete plan for creating a separate committee.”