Asciano (formerly Patrick Stevedores Holdings) and DP World Australia (formerly P&O Ports) have been ordered to pay paltry penalties of $1.9 million each after their business of unloading imported cars at ports around the country was found to have breached competition law.

Federal Court Justice Peter Jacobsen this morning said he would give the green light to the penalties recommended to him by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and the companies last week as part of an out of court settlement.

As part of the deal finally approved by the court this morning, P&O and Patrick admitted their agreement to share facilities could have lessened competition, which is a breach of the law. But they refused to concede their deal harmed competition.

The deal was revealed on June 25, three months before the sides were to fight it out in court.

Asciano, which has the ports once owned by Patrick, has played down the small size of the penalty and cried poor in an attempt to argue for a small penalty.

This story is available in full at smh.com.au.