MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company is shocked to learn of the accusations made by MCS Industries and the complaint filed by MCS Industries with the FMC, a notice of which was published by the FMC on August 3.

MSC received no formal complaint by MCS Industries in advance of the filing, or in relation to the subsequent accusations made in the media, many of which remain vague and unsubstantiated and are incorrectly targeted at MSC.

While MSC is still studying some of the contents of this particular complaint, the company does not recognise the alleged shortcomings in booking the cargo allocations provided for this shipper. Furthermore, MSC is not illegitimately selling space allotted to MCS Industries under its service contracts to other shippers.

MSC also rejects the accusation of collusion between carriers put forward in the complaint. MSC and the shipping line COSCO are not in the same container-carrying alliance and as such have no operational cooperation by way of Vessel Sharing Agreement (VSA) or Slot Charter Agreement (SCA) anywhere in the world.