US fines Norway shipper nearly $100m for price-fixing

The United States dealt Norwegian shipping company Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics a nearly $100 million fine Wednesday for involvement in fixing prices for automobile cargo services.

WWL was the fourth shipper to plead guilty in a US Justice Department investigation into price-fixing for roll-on roll-off (Ro-Ro) vessel services to US ports between 2000 and 2012. The company admitted guilt to a one-count felony charge and agreed to pay a $98.9 million criminal fine.

"WWL and its co-conspirators cheated their customers for years by fixing the prices of ocean shipping services for cars, trucks, and other cargo essential to our nation's economy," said Renata Hesse, head of the Justice Department's antitrust division.

Ro-Ro vessels are designed mainly to carry cars, trucks and other vehicles like mining equipment from manufacturers to markets.