ACCC will block POTA NSW from acquiring rival container park at Port Botany over competition concerns
August 26, 2009
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) will move to stop POTA NSW acquiring a rival container park at Port Botany.
ACCC Chairman Graeme Samuel says the purchase of the Maritime Container Services (MCS) container park would have a negative affect on healthy trading at the facility.
“After market inquiries the ACCC has concluded that the acquisition of MCS would be likely to substantially lessen competition in the market for empty container parking with access to a rail facility, and this is in contravention of the Trade Practices Act 1974,” Samuel says.
There are only three container operators in the area, the third one being the Patrick facility in Camellia.
According to the ACCC, the storage of empty containers at or close to rail facilities such as the ones in question are particularly important to exporters of grain, cotton and aluminium.