Several shippers claimed carriers breached contracts during the period and Argos claimed in the London High Court that Maersk reneged on its commitment to ship 10,000 40-foot equivalent units from Asia to the UK through 2010 and 2011 at a base rate of $930 per container.
Argos claimed Maersk unilaterally raised the rate to $2,730 per FEU in January 2010, forcing the retailer to find an alternative carrier to ship its containers, resulting in increased costs of almost $13.9 million.