The operation had avoided the bankruptcy of Moby. But now an investigation has been started by the Competition and Market Authority against Sas - Shipping Agencies Services Sarl, a company of the MSC group based in Luxembourg, Moby Spa itself and Grandi Navi Veloci Spa (Gnv) "to verify the existence of possible restrictions of competition following the acquisition of 49% of the share capital of Moby by Sas and the subsequent large financing granted by the latter to Moby".

This is what we learn from a note from the Antitrust. It is explained that «the markets involved, extremely concentrated, are those of maritime transport of goods and passengers on some routes between the continent and the major islands, where only Moby and Gnv are present or at most a third operator. These are markets characterized by significant barriers to entry». All the connections concern Sardinia, except one: Genoa-Palermo. The obstacles are constituted by the need for an enormous availability of money necessary to start the business and to purchase the vessel.

On 13 November, the Authority, with the assistance of the Special Antitrust Unit of the Guardia di Finanza, carried out inspections at the premises of Moby and Grandi Navi Veloci Spa (controlled by Sas and Marinvest), Onorato Armatori Srl and Marinvest Srl (controlled by Sas).

The acquisition of Moby by Sas, with the injection of capital, had allowed an agreement to be reached with the then Ministry of Economic Development, which had collected only half of the 180 million euros owed for the unpaid installments relating to the deferred payment for the transfer of Compagnia Italiana di Navigazione (Tirrenia) to Moby which took place in 2012.

Enrico Fresu

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