Crowley Liner Services, Inc. (Crowley) has entered into a settlement agreement with the plaintiffs in the Puerto Rican Cabotage Antitrust Litigation. Although the company specifically denied violating the antitrust laws, it agreed to the settlement given the high cost and burden of litigation, which is expected to continue for several more years. Following the announcement in April 2008 of a government investigation of pricing practices of ocean carriers operating in the Puerto Rico trade, several class action lawsuits were filed against Crowley and other domestic ocean liner carriers on behalf of those who directly purchased domestic ocean shipping services in the Puerto Rico tradelane between 2002 and 2008.
