RUSSIAN competition authorities have initiated formal proceedings against a number of global container lines that are now accused of price fixing.

This follows raids on the offices of agents of Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM, APL, "K" Line, NYK, OOCL, China Shipping, Hyundai, Zim, Cosco, Evergreen and Hapag-Lloyd agents in Moscow and St Petersburg in February.

Russia has named the local agents of the same lines under investigation by Brussels, with the exception of APL, which has not received any recent communication from the European Commission, notes Lloyd's List.

This came after the European Commission announced that it was investigating suspected price signalling among container lines. Russia's Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) decided to press charges after its own raids.

The FAS accuses carriers of violating Clause 1 Part 1 of Article 11 of the Federal Law on protection of competition, charges based on "materials obtained in the course of several dozens unscheduled on-site inspections".

Apart from the European price signalling probe, competition regulators in Japan, Europe and North America are also conducting an investigation into the activities of car carriers.