FMC’s Bentzel joins NAWE
Federal Maritime Commissioner Carl Bentzel will be joining the National Association of Waterfront Employers (NAWE) next month leaving a post he was appointed to in the first Donald Trump presidency.
Renominated by Joe Biden in July this year, Bentzel has instead decided to move on after five years at the maritime regulator to take up the position of president of the NAWE. He will also take on the role of executive director at the National Maritime Safety Association (NMSA), starting in both positions on 16 December this year.
Bentzel joined the FMC just before the Covid pandemic hit global shipping in December 2019 and helped to navigate US supply chains through one of the most challenging periods of its history.
He was instrumental in the drafting of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 and was later asked to identify how data could smooth the movement of cargo. In April, 2023, he issued a report that he called the ‘Maritime Transportation Data Initiative’ (MTDI), which was based on discussions with supply chain stakeholders.
Bentzel was also involved in assessing the ability of US industry using its inland waterways to add an environmentally friendly dimension and capacity to internal US supply chains.
Visiting Europe to study and discuss European use of canals and rivers, Bentzel assessed the evolution of the European inland cargo transportation system and argued that the current US system, while under used, could be easily adapted to transport containers.
In November 2020 Bentzel said: “The US has a robust inland waterway system, but it has never evolved in the way that the European network has,” said Bentzel, adding, “The EU regulatory authorities took an interest, and they favoured river movements of goods, partly for environmental reasons.”
More recently he was also involved in the development of the FMC rules regarding the highly contentious issues of detention and demurrage, which became a major issue within the industry as US terminals and supply chains became clogged with freight as demand soared.
In joining NAWE, Bentzel said he is honoured to lead an organisation that will benefit the industry he has served, bringing 15 years of experience as a senior counsel prior to his move to the FMC.
“As we navigate a dynamic era for our industry, I look forward to working alongside industry leaders to enhance port operations, advance workforce safety, and strengthen our collective resilience to meet evolving challenges,” said Bentzel.