FMC reaches settlement with WWL, Eukor

Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics AS and its corporate affiliate Eukor Car Carriers, Inc. agreed to pay a combined $1.5 million to the Federal Maritime Commission, which accused the carriers of violating the Shipping Act.    Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) Chairman Mario Cordero said Tuesday the commission has recovered a total of $1.5 million in civil penalties from Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics AS (WWL) of Norway and its corporate affiliate Eukor Car Carriers, Inc. (Eukor) of Korea.
   The FMC said the two carriers were accused of violating section 10(a) of the Shipping Act, 46 U.S.C. and 41102(b), by acting in concert with other ocean carriers in regards to the transportation of automobiles and other motorized vehicles by roll-on/roll off or specialized car carrier vessels, where such agreements had not been filed with the FMC or become effective under the Shipping Act.
   FMC staff claimed these practices persisted for an extended period of time and involved various U.S. trade lanes.
   The compromise agreement also resolved allegations that WWL and Eukor failed to file certain space charter agreements or provided transportation under certain service contracts that had not been filed.
   Although a compromise agreement was reached between the FMC and the two carriers, neither of the carriers admitted to violating the Shipping Act.
   In concluding the agreement, WWL and Eukor agreed to provide continuous cooperation with other commission investigations or enforcement actions with respect to these activities.