Senate confirms Stephen Carmel as Maritime Administrator

MARAD Administrator Stephen M. Carmel. “This $35 million investment will empower our domestic maritime industry to modernize facilities, foster competitive operations, and equip the American worker with the skills needed to restore our nation’s maritime dominance.”

The U.S. Senate yesterday confirmed Stephen Carmel, president of U.S. Marine Management LLC, as Administrator of the Maritime Administration, bringing decades of maritime experience to the role.

As MARAD Administrator, Carmel will be central to implementing President Trump’s Executive Order on Restoring Maritime Dominance. In this role, he will advise and support U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on multiple matters including commercial maritime policy, the U.S. maritime industry, and strategic sealift.

“I am honored to serve President Trump and work with Secretary Duffy to restore America’s maritime dominance,” said MARAD Administrator Stephen M. Carmel. “The maritime sector—including our hardworking mariners, port and terminal workers, inland waterway workers, and Great Lakes sailors—is essential to moving goods for the American people and safeguarding our national security. I look forward to advancing this vital industry that that underpins our economy and sustains American life.”

A graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, N.Y., Carmel’s career began as a deck officer and Master with Maritime Overseas Corporation and Military Sealift Command, where he achieved his first command of a 40,000-ton clean product tanker at age 26. Prior to his current position, he held a senior executive role at Maersk Line, Limited, the U.S.-flagged shipping division of Maersk.

Carmel’s nomination had been widely supported throughout the U.S. maritime industry. During his Senate hearing Oct. 22, he voiced strong backing for the Jones Act, the Maritime Security Program, and cargo preference laws.

Maritime labor was swift to applaud the move.

The Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association (MEBA), American Maritime Officers (AMO), the International Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots (MM&P), the Seafarers International Union (SIU), the Sailors’ Union of the Pacific (SUP), and the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD) today released the following statement in response to the Senate confirmation of Mr. Stephen Carmel as the next U.S. Maritime Administrator:

“Stephen Carmel brings deep industry knowledge and a lifelong commitment to the U.S. flag fleet. Strong leadership at MARAD is essential, particularly as the Administration is working to develop a Maritime Action Plan (MAP) to restore American maritime dominance, and as Congress seeks to revitalize the maritime sector through legislative efforts such as the SHIPS for America Act, which has received overwhelming bipartisan support.

“Carmel’s experience in shipping and logistics positions him well to lead MARAD during a time when our nation aims to boost its global maritime and shipbuilding capacity, grow its fleet of American-flagged ships, and address unfair competition from countries like China.

“Maritime labor looks forward to collaborating with Administrator Carmel to enhance American maritime capabilities, create more job opportunities in the maritime workforce, and ensure that the U.S. remains competitive and a leader in global shipping.”