Merger review by the ACCC: acquisition of Maritime Container Services by Qube Logistics

As outlined in DCN 9 January 2018, Qube Logistics (Aust) has announced it would acquire specialist transport, storage and handling business, Maritime Container Services (MCS).
 

MCS is a New South Wales based business involved in the provision of import and export container services in Sydney, including the operation of empty container parks in Cooks River and Banksmeadow and road transport – please also refer to the Feature Article in the current Summer edition of "Across Borders".
 

UPDATE:

• On 19 December 2017 Qube notified the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) of the intention to complete the acquisition on 21 December 2017.

• On 20 December 2017 the ACCC notified Qube that the ACCC proposes to undertake a merger review of the acquisition. 

• The objective of the undertaking is to keep the MCS business separate from Qube's existing operations and managed and maintained as a going concern while the ACCC conducts its merger review – further details are available HERE. 

ACCC ENGAGEMENT:

Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) and the Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA) will be engaging with both Qube executive and the ACCC in coming weeks in anticipation of a formal review.

To support this engagement process we encourage members to share preliminary views in terms of the acquisition to secretariat@auspsa.com

FTA and APSA representatives will also be meeting with the Chairman of the ACCC, Rod Simms, on 16 February 2018, to address a number of competition and consumer concerns identified by our members. More details will be provided after that meeting.

Travis Brooks-Garrett – FTA / APSA