The commission's investigation confirmed that the merged entity would continue to face competition from several strong market actors and also that customers would have sufficient alternative suppliers on the markets for the transport of dry bulk products and liquid chemicals in the Rhine area and on Northern German rivers and canals.
"The Commission examined the competitive effects of the proposed acquisition in the markets for inland waterway freight transport and in particular the transport of dry bulk products in the Rhine area and on the northern German rivers and canals and the transport of liquid chemicals in the Rhine area where the transaction leads to affected markets," the ruling says. "Furthermore the Commission examined the vertical relationship between Imperial's container terminal services in Duisburg and Lehnkering's container transport activities on the Rhine."
According to Europolitics.info, the investigation showed that, on all these markets, different competitors with market shares similar to those of the parties will exert sufficient competitive pressure on the merged entity. Regarding the vertical relationship, the Commission found that the share on the market for container terminal services in Duisburg is not high enough to allow for a restriction of access to these services.
Read the full article on www.europolitics.info.
