The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission is unlikely to approve a proposed alliance between container-shipping giants Maersk Line and Mediterranean Shipping Co. before consulting with Chinese regulators, according to one of the agency’s commissioners.

FMC Commissioner William Doyle, one of the agency’s five commissioners, told The Wall Street Journal that he wants to consult with his Chinese counterparts before reaching a decision on the so-called 2M alliance.

Beijing earlier this year surprised the shipping industry when it scuttled a similar, but larger, proposed tie-up between Maersk, MSC and France’s CMA CGM SA. That proposed, three-way tie-up was called P3.

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