The National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC) has conditioned the authorization of DFDS's acquisition of certain assets of Naviera Armas-Trasmediterránea on the transfer to a third operator of the necessary elements to maintain Armas's activity on the Algeciras-Ceuta maritime line.
The operation, authorized last July in the second phase within the file C/1639/25, affects two companies present in the regular maritime transport of passengers and rolling cargo in the Strait of Gibraltar. Both DFDS and Armas operate connections between the south of the Peninsula and Ceuta and Tangier.
The analysis carried out by the CNMC during the second phase of the operation detected risks to competition in the market corresponding to Ceuta. According to the agency, the integration could generate unilateral effects resulting from a reduction of competitive pressure and also coordinated effects related to a possible decrease in competition between DFDS and Baleària on the Strait routes.
Given these circumstances, DFDS presented a series of commitments aimed at addressing the objections raised during the procedure. Among them was the implementation of a semiannual monitoring of the prices of the affected routes operated by the company, as well as of the economic evolution of the Algeciras-Ceuta connection.
The company also proposed to maintain the quality of service and user experience, in addition to retaining during periods of higher demand the frequencies that Armas currently operates on the line between Algeciras and Ceuta.
The package of measures also included commitments related to investments, improvements in the acquired vessels, environmental sustainability, and internal actions regarding competition defense.
Most of these measures were planned for a period of five years. In the specific case of maintaining Armas's frequencies on the Algeciras-Ceuta line, the commitment initially had a duration of twelve months, with a subsequent reevaluation.
After examining the proposals, the CNMC determined that these measures were not sufficient to resolve the identified competition problems during the investigation, with particular incidence on the maritime connection between the Port of Algeciras and Ceuta.
As a condition for authorizing the operation, the agency requires that DFDS transfer to a third party the necessary elements to maintain the operations that Armas currently develops on the Algeciras-Ceuta line. The purpose of this measure is to preserve the existence of competitive pressure on this route and reduce the risk of coordinated effects among the operators present in the market.
The CNMC also indicates that at least one potential interested party has been identified during the procedure to assume these assets and continue providing services on the maritime connection.
The decision specifically affects one of the main lines of maritime transport of passengers and rolling goods in the Strait, while the overall operation encompasses certain assets of Armas-Trasmediterránea whose acquisition by DFDS has been submitted to the concentration control procedure of the Spanish competition authority.
