Conference-shipper loyalty contacts: Time for a re-think?

This paper examines the purposal by the British Shipper's Council (BSC) and the UK government to place a statutory limit, by means of a regulations implementing the EEC rules for competition, upon the proportion of a shipper's cudstom that may be demanded in a loyalty agreement with a liner conference.

The development of 70% loyalty is traced through the following the various drafts of the EEC competition rules for sea transport; the department of trade investigation which found freight rate disparities that were caused partially by the less competitive environment in the UK than on the Continent; and evidence given on 70% loyalty beforew the house of Lords Select Commitee on the European Communities.

By considering the precise proposals, as suggested by the BSC, and means of enforcing them, 70% loyalty is found to be eminently practicable. the short-term consequences of its introduction are unlikely to be great, considering the shippers' needs for a good quality service; but in time the additional competition fostered by a less-than-100% tie would cause radical changes; conferences would have to aopt limit-pricing and respond to competition loyalty ties might be restricted to service contracts with large shippers. These effects would be felt far more in the UK since the continental environment is in any case more competitive.

It is concluded that 70% loyalty should be imposed upon conferences by means of the EEC Regulations in order to enhance the competitive environment of linear shipping.