PRESS RELEASE

ANTITRUST SANCTION OF OVER EUR 14 MILLION TO THE MAIN OWNERS OF THE BAYS OF NAPLES AND SALERNO

In total the sanctions imposed by the Antitrust to the main operators of the maritime transport of passengers in the bays of Naples and Salerno total over EUR 14 million. They are companies from Campania that manage the connections between the islands of Ischia and Capri with the main centres of the coast such as Amalfi, Sorrento, Positano, Castellammare and Torre Annunziata, and from Naples to the Aeolian islands and from some ports in Lazio to the Pontine islands. Also sanctioned the trade association Acap (Associazione cabotaggio armatori partenopei - Neapolitan Association of Cabotage Ship-owners) together with other joint bodies created over time by the same owners (CLMP and Gescab).

This is the first time that the Italian Competition Authority (ICA)  has exercised the power to re-open an investigation already closed with the commitments made previously by the companies involved.  The persons responsible for the violations found by the ICA are a total of ten: NLG, Alilauro, Alicost, Alilauro Gruson, Medmar Navi, SNAV, SMLG, CLMP, Gescab e ACAP.

On the basis of numerous reports by consumers, and with the collaboration of the Finance Police (Antitrust Group – Special Market Protection), the Authority is satisfied that NLG, Alilauro, Alicost, Alilauro Gruson, Medmar Navi, SNAV have violated the commitments undertaken and made obligatory through the resolution of 2009, replicating in the company named Gescab the illegal activities of co-ordination already undertaken previously through the Neapolitan Shipping Lines Consortium (CLMP). In this way, from 1998 until today, these operators and to a lesser extent SMLG, have continued to co-ordinate amongst them, even through the activity of CLMP, ACAP and Gescab, in all major commercial and operational aspects.  Finally, it has adopted a regulation for the “single ticket” that would allow the user to embark without charges on another carrier, but which in reality does not make its use possible.

According to the Antitrust, in the market of maritime transport of passengers, by ferries and crafts, the companies have implemented a horizontal agreement restricting competition. This occurred on all routes in the Gulfs of Naples and Salerno as well as some links to the Aeolian and Pontine islands, according to a recurring pattern based on a systematic exchange of sensitive information. The anti-competitive agreement was achieved in a complex and articulated strategy implemented by all major private owners of Campania, to share costs and revenues on shares according to pre-defined historic shares and not based on the activity actually performed. Both the non-compliance with commitments and the restrictive agreement are ongoing.

Rome, 10 February 2015