Delorean Holmes returns to lead Detroit port
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Workers unload steel from a ship at the Port of Detroit in 2021. Photo: Matthew Hatcher/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Delorean Holmes, a Detroit native and longtime economic development official, is returning to lead the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority.
Why it matters: The public agency oversees 18 marine terminals along the Detroit and Rouge rivers, supporting a maritime industry that generates an estimated $1 billion in economic activity and 6,000 jobs.
Driving the news: Holmes, most recently Wayne County's economic vitality director, succeeds retiring executive director Mark Schrupp on Nov. 13.
- Holmes previously worked at the Port Authority from 2014 to 2022, including as deputy director.
State of play: Holmes takes over as the port sees growth in cruise tourism but faces challenges in cargo shipping.
- Cruises: Passenger traffic surged 86% in 2025, with more than 20,600 visitors arriving on 69 cruise ships.
- Cargo: Steel and cement shipments through two freight terminals totaled about 359,000 tons through November 2025, compared with roughly 416,000 tons in 2024. The Port Authority cites tariffs as a major factor for the reduction.
Between the lines: The Port Authority's publicly owned Detroit Freight Terminal operates under a longstanding concession agreement with Ambassador Port Co., a Moroun business.
- Port Authority board chair Jonathan Kinloch tells Axios that recent discussions with the Moroun-owned Ambassador Bridge Co. suggest changes to the arrangement could be coming.
- "There appears to be an agreement toward making a substantial change in direction," Kinloch says. "I expect some major proposed changes to be coming our way soon from the Bridge Co."
What's next: Holmes says his priorities include expanding cargo and cruise activity, attracting investment, and creating maritime jobs.