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Italian ports: bananas war
Italy
Tuesday 27 November 2007
Italian ports go to war for bananas: a legal action has been taken by Clerici Logistics group (CLG) of Genoa (which is a leading terminal operator for bananas and pineapples import in Italy), against the multinational Chiquita for misconduct and breaking contract.
In the viewfinder, as well as Chiquita, the historic customer of Clerici group, there are also the terminals of Vado Ligure (managed by Orsero group) and Civitavecchia, accused of dumping and unfair competition. The legal battle was originated by negotiations of CLG with Chiquita in the view of the expiry of the contract. According to Clerici, during negotiations would have entered, without their knowledge, the terminals of Civitavecchia and Vado Ligure, which after every offer "issued other proposals downwards".
On the motivations that led to the interruption of relations with Clerici Group, Chiquita Italy stated: "During meetings aimed to negotiate the renewal of the contract with Clerici Logistic Group (CLG), Chiquita has repeatedly requested, as its full right in the absence of several agreements, to apply rates and adequate service levels, proper to cost efficiency of the European market. In particular, Chiquita did not consider as to adhere to CLG’s requests (exclusivity and guaranteed traffic volumes), placed as preconditions for a possible renewal of the agreement. The European market conditions required to CLG, were guaranteed instead by the Reefer Terminal of Vado and Civitavecchia Fruit and Forest Terminal with whom, for 2008 and years to follow, has not been signed any contract yet, but the agreements reached so far are currently under formalization.
In the viewfinder, as well as Chiquita, the historic customer of Clerici group, there are also the terminals of Vado Ligure (managed by Orsero group) and Civitavecchia, accused of dumping and unfair competition. The legal battle was originated by negotiations of CLG with Chiquita in the view of the expiry of the contract. According to Clerici, during negotiations would have entered, without their knowledge, the terminals of Civitavecchia and Vado Ligure, which after every offer "issued other proposals downwards".
On the motivations that led to the interruption of relations with Clerici Group, Chiquita Italy stated: "During meetings aimed to negotiate the renewal of the contract with Clerici Logistic Group (CLG), Chiquita has repeatedly requested, as its full right in the absence of several agreements, to apply rates and adequate service levels, proper to cost efficiency of the European market. In particular, Chiquita did not consider as to adhere to CLG’s requests (exclusivity and guaranteed traffic volumes), placed as preconditions for a possible renewal of the agreement. The European market conditions required to CLG, were guaranteed instead by the Reefer Terminal of Vado and Civitavecchia Fruit and Forest Terminal with whom, for 2008 and years to follow, has not been signed any contract yet, but the agreements reached so far are currently under formalization.
