The Autorité de la concurrence has imposed a fine of €2,162,599 on various companies within the Nel group for engaging in practices that constitute an abuse of a dominant position in the port handling sector at the Port of Longoni in Mayotte.

Following a report from the Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF), the authority conducted dawn raids and previously fined Mayotte Channel Gateway (MCG) for obstructing the investigation. The current decision addresses two main abusive practices by the Nel group.

Firstly, the Nel group was found to have leveraged MCG's dominant position to eliminate competition from Société Mahoraise d’Acconage de Représentation et de Transit (SMART), the incumbent cargo-handling operator. By controlling the port's economic activities beyond its concessionaire role, the Nel group favored its subsidiary, Manu-Port, effectively excluding SMART from key operations.

Secondly, MCG was found to have imposed unfair trading conditions on local importers, charging for services that were not provided, which increased costs for these businesses. The authority noted that MCG's status as a public service concessionaire aggravated the situation, as it had a responsibility to maintain fair competition.

As part of the ruling, MCG is also required to publish a summary of the decision in Mayotte Hebdo and on its website.