A Federal Court in Australia has ordered K-Line to pay an AUS $34.5m ($23.4m) fine after convicting the Japanese carrier of operating a criminal cartel in its car transportation business.
The court said K Line was operating together with other carriers in fixing prices to transport cars, trucks and buses to Australia between 2009 and 2012.
K Line had pleaded guilty to the charges in April last year following an investigation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
The guilty plea was significant in reducing K Line’s fine.
ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said: “Cartel conduct, such as that engaged in by K-line, not only cheats consumers and other businesses through inflated prices and costs, but also restricts healthy economic growth and discourages innovation.”
Justice Wigney added: “The scope of the conduct was substantial and extensive. It occurred in a market for services that were and are of considerable economic importance to Australia”.
In August 2017 Japan’s NYK was also fined AUS $25m in Australia for operating a criminal cartel.
The ACCC said it is continuing investigation into other car carrier operators.
