Press Release 09/2026
May 6, 2026

The Portuguese Competition Authority (Autoridade da Concorrência – AdC) has decided to prohibit the proposed merger consisting in the acquisition, by the Boluda Group, of sole control over Remolcanosa Portugal – Serviços Marítimos, S.A., on the grounds that the transaction would be likely to result in a significant impediment to effective competition.
The proposed transaction concerned, in particular, the markets for the provision of port maritime towage and mooring services, notably in the Port of Sines, where the parties’ activities overlap directly.
The AdC’s investigation found that, in the market for the provision of port maritime towage and mooring services to vessels not carrying bulk dangerous goods in the Port of Sines, the transaction would eliminate the only effective competitive constraint, transforming an asymmetric duopoly into a monopoly, in a context characterised by high barriers to entry and demand of a mandatory nature.
The AdC concluded that this elimination of competition would confer on the merged entity both the ability and the incentive to exercise market power on a lasting basis, in particular through price increases, to the detriment of users of these services.
During the proceedings, the AdC assessed two packages of commitments submitted by the notifying party with a view to addressing the identified competition concerns. However, following an in-depth assessment, the Authority concluded that the proposed commitments were neither suitable nor sufficient to eliminate, with the required degree of certainty, the significant impediments to competition identified, and that they entailed significant risks as regards their effectiveness and feasibility.
The AdC also considered supervening circumstances invoked by the notifying party, including the future termination of the current concession in force at the Port of Sines and the announcement of a new tender procedure. 
However, the Authority found that these elements are based on uncertain scenarios as to their scope, timing and outcome and, for that reason, do not remove or mitigate the competition concerns identified within the relevant time frame for the prospective assessment.
Having concluded that the merger would be likely to result in a significant impediment to effective competition, and in the absence of remedies capable of addressing those concerns, the AdC decided to prohibit the transaction.
The AdC had decided to initiate an in-depth investigation into the transaction in December 2025.