The ACCC's role in relation to international liner cargo shipping is contained in Part X of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 ('the Act').
The ACCC's main function is to investigate complaints in relation to conference agreements registered under Part X of the Act. A conference is an unincorporated association of two or more ocean carriers carrying on two or more businesses each of which includes the provision of liner cargo shipping services.
The ACCC maintains a register of the investigations it has completed under Part X.
Investigation into whether grounds exist for the Minister for Transport and Regional Services to be satisfied that the Australia to Europe Liner Association breached s. 10.41 of Part X of the Trade Practices Act 1974.
The ACCC has issued a report which finds that are not sufficient grounds to revoke an agreement which exempts a group of cargo shipping lines from some of the anti-competitive provisions of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (known as the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 from 1 January 2011).
