K Line has settled a civil lawsuit against APL Logistics after false claims were spread about the Japanese company’s financial health.
K Line in December 2016 sued APLL in the Tokyo District Court for damages alleging that APL Logistics employees had sent emails globally in which they strongly recommended terminating bookings with K Line and “shifting to other carriers because of a potential bankruptcy.”
The carrier said in a statement at the time that its reputation had been substantially damaged and it had been hit by cancellations or suspension of bookings.
In response, APL Logistics president president Beat Simon said that a “small number of employees” had commented to customers about the potential financial position or viability of K Line but were in the process of retracting those statements.
The incident occured soon after the collapse of Hanjin Shipping which triggered speculation about the health of other carriers.
K Line says in a statement today: "APL Logistics and its parent company, Kinetsu World Express, acknowledged the fact that the emails included in an erroneous report, expressed their regret and responded sincerely, and now we and APPL have reached an amicable settlement to that claim.”
Terms of the settlement have not been disclosed.
APP Logistics is the former logistics division of container line APL.
It was purchased in 2015 by Japanese logistics group Kinetsu, ending ties with Neptune Orient Line’s APL division. CMA CGM acquired Singapore national flag carrier NOL in 2016.
