Regulator ends probe into competition at Port of Philadelphia
The Federal Maritime Commission had been reviewing allegations that Holt Logistics Corp. had abused its market power. Holt said it was "gratified" by the agency's decision to close the investigation.
A federal agency that regulates maritime shipping has closed its investigation into waterfront competition at the Port of Philadelphia.
The Federal Maritime Commission had been reviewing a complaint filed in 2023 by South Philadelphia trucking company Tri State Intermodal alleging that Holt Logistics Corp. — the operator of the port’s biggest terminal — had abused its market power to win business.
But regulators told the parties in an email Monday that the commission “has closed its active investigation into issues occurring at or near the Port of Philadelphia,” according to a copy of the message that was reviewed by The Inquirer. The email did not provide a reason for ending the probe or offer any conclusions about the allegations.
“The decision to close the investigation is not a finding in any respect nor should it be interpreted as such,” John G. Crews II, director of the commission’s Bureau of Enforcement, Investigations, and Compliance, wrote to Tri State’s John DiDomenicis III and Wayne R. Rohde, an attorney with the firm Cozen O’Connor who represents Holt.
Gloucester City, N.J.-based Holt, operator of the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal in South Philadelphia, said it “cooperated fully with the review and FMC’s requests for information.”
“We are gratified that after a review of the facts, the FMC has ended its investigation, and the matter is now closed,” the company said in a statement. “We play by the rules, we abide by the law, and our sole focus is on serving our customers. It is the only formula for success at the Port.”
Holt noted that container cargo volumes at Packer Avenue continued to grow last year, increasing by 13% over 2023. “The port’s success means more high-wage jobs, more public and private investment, and more opportunity for our city and region,” the company said. “We anticipate even more growth in 2025, and we will continue working with our public and private partners to make it happen.”
DiDomenicis, who says his trucking company has lost business to a brokerage affiliated with Holt, said he was disappointed with the FMC’s decision and claimed that the agency didn’t conduct a full investigation. He said Tri State would file another complaint “once it’s advisable to do so.”
“Because until an actual investigation is had and a determination is made, these issues remain unsettled,” DiDomenicis said during a board meeting Wednesday of the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority, a state agency that owns the Packer Avenue terminal and leases it to a Holt affiliate. “We believe that the truth will come out and justice will prevail eventually.”
A Federal Maritime Commission spokesperson declined to comment.