On 14 January 2020, the Authority opened an investigation against the companies Mediterranea Marittima S.p.a., Servizi Marittimi Liberi Giuffré & Lauro S.r.l., Medmar Navi S.p.a., Tra.Spe.Mar. S.r.l, GML Trasporti Marittimi S.r.l and Consorzio COTRASIR to assess an alleged agreement restricting competition in the market for the transport of flammable material and waste to and from the islands in the Gulf of Naples (Ischia, Procida and Capri),  in breach ofArticle 2 of Law no. 287/90 and/or Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union..

Also based on the numerous complaints received, the Authority has in fact considered that the strategy with which the two competitors Mediterranea Marittima (holding company that controls the operating company Medmar Navi) and Servizi Marittimi Liberi Giuffré & Lauro, after creating the joint venture GML, have set up the COTRASIR consortium between the latter and the third operator Traspemar, as well as the operating procedures of the latter, could suggest an arrangement between companies competing in the services of maritime transport of hazardous goods, waste and flammable material to and from the islands in the Gulf of Naples, aimed at standardising the service supply conditions and zeroing any competitive dynamics, in terms of possibility of choice by the demand and quality and cost of the transport services offered, with potential negative impacts on consumers in terms of both higher fuel prices and greater waste management costs in the islands concerned.

Today, the officials of the Authority carried out inspections on the premises of the companies concerned and other entities that are believed to possess information that might be useful for the investigation.

Rome, 22 January 2020