Danes claim TAA unfair to associations. (Trans-Atlantic Agreement; shipper associations)

Two shipper associations, offered rates of $1,425 based on minimum guarantee of 600 TEUs, compare what they were offered by TAA to rate given proprietary shipper guaranteeing 1,520 TEU from Denmark.

Two Danish shippers associations have formally requested the Federal Maritime Commission to seek a court injunction against the Trans-Atlantic Agreement.

Filed in late December by Container Freight International I/S and Danish Consolidation Services, the petition represents the first formal request in the U.S. to move against the TAA.

The two shippers' associations, which claim to be major shippers of Danish furniture, cookies and biscuits to the U.S., painted a picture of repeated discrimination by TAA over the past year.

While several violations of the 1984 Shipping Act are alleged, the heart of the associations' petition is TAA's alleged refusal to grant them the same contract advantages the conference is giving to other shippers for the 1994 shipping season.

The dispute centers on TAA's 1994 "Business Plan" which, according to TAA, stresses transparent rate making, shipper flexibility and choice, and modest rate increases.

After repeated attempts, TAA and the associations' contract carrier (OOCL) refused to allow them to take advantage of the business plan even though they were under contract in 1993, the associations claim.

According to the …