International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) continues to call on industry stakeholders and market regulators to take action to ensure a balanced and fair trading system. The Federation has published the following "discussion paper" providing a brief summary of the key policy action points in the interests of global supply chains, and the economies that benefit from world trade.
The maritime supply chain continues to experience record disruptions and unpredictability. Freight forwarders play a key role in the effective movement of goods, and ensuring access to the global logistics supply chain for shippers in all economies. This access to the global logistics chain is under threat today. Moves by the world’s largest shipping lines, which as part of the three global shipping alliances dominate 80% of the global shipping market and 95% of critical East-West trade lanes, have sought to cut or restrict freight forwarders from their services.
These major shipping lines are now abusing their dominant position in the market, together with regulatory anti-trust exemptions which are out of step with the current economic context, in a manner that is distorting free market competition, with detrimental impacts on the end consumer.
There is a need for a review of regulatory measures supporting shipping lines to ensure that they are fit for purpose and do not hinder level fair market competition, as well as to ensure attention is not diverted away from the industry’s key priorities.
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