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Millions of U.K. motorists are poised to benefit after lawyers secured a £54 million ($71 million) settlement against the final two shipping giants facing allegations of inflated delivery charges. The agreement—struck with Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK)—comes just before the Competition Appeal Tribunal was expected to publish a long-awaited trial judgment, according to Scott+Scott UK LLP, counsel for the claimants.

The deal closes a nine-week trial that began in January 2025, marking a pivotal moment in a sprawling opt-out class action that accused car shippers of orchestrating a price-fixing cartel.

The tribunal will review and potentially approve the settlement at a hearing set for Jan. 15.

17 Million Vehicles Affected in Alleged Shipping Cartel

Brought by class representative Mark McLaren, the claim covers roughly 17 million vehicles purchased across the U.K. between 2006 and 2015. Plaintiffs argued that consumers and businesses paid inflated prices due to coordinated collusion among five shipping companies responsible for transporting cars from major manufacturers.

McLaren praised the settlement, saying it demonstrates how the U.K.’s opt-out regime “delivers exactly what Parliament intended—giving consumers and businesses a realistic path to recover losses from cartel conduct that would be impossible to pursue individually.”

Total Payout Reaches £92.75 Million After Previous Deals

These latest agreements are the fourth and fifth to emerge from the litigation, bringing the grand total recovered for motorists to £92.75 million. McLaren previously struck a £38 million settlement with WWL/EUKOR and K Line in December 2024, following a trailblazing £1.5 million deal with Chilean carrier CSAV in December 2023—the first opt-out settlement ever approved in the U.K.

Scott+Scott managing partner Cian Mansfield called the case “groundbreaking,” noting it marks the first time opt-out damages will be distributed to U.K. businesses.

Case Follows Major EU Fine for Competition Violations

The legal action began after the European Commission fined the involved shippers €395 million ($403 million) in 2018, ruling that they had violated EU competition law by coordinating freight rates, limiting capacity, and trading confidential data to manipulate prices for intercontinental vehicle shipping.

At trial, McLaren argued that the motorists’ claims are supported by a “consistent body of factual and industry expert evidence” spanning every link of the automotive supply chain.

Shippers Dispute Financial Harm Claims

Three MOL Group companies—MOL (Europe Africa) Ltd., Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd., and Nissan Motor Car Carrier Co. Ltd.—contended in filings that drivers failed to demonstrate how the alleged cartel directly caused them financial damages. Their defense centered on assumptions made about how shipping costs are embedded within the price of new vehicles.

Legal Teams on All Sides

Motorists are represented by
Sarah Ford KC and Sarah O’Keeffe (Brick Court Chambers),
Nicholas Gibson (Matrix Chambers),
instructed by Belinda Hollway and Douglas Campbell of Scott+Scott UK LLP.

MOL Group is represented by
David Bailey and Michael Quayle (Brick Court Chambers) and
Natalie Nguyen (Monckton Chambers),
instructed by Alistair Brown of Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer (UK) LLP.

NYK is represented by
Brendan McGurk KC (Monckton Chambers) and
solicitor advocate Angus Rodger,
instructed by Yumiko Takahashi of Steptoe International (UK) LLP.