NAWE board names Bentzel next president

The National Association of Waterfront Employers (NAWE) Board of Directors announced that the Honorable Carl Bentzel has been elected to serve as the association’s new president, effective December 16, 2024. As part of this role, he will also serve as the Executive Director of the National Maritime Safety Association (NMSA).

“I am honored to join the National Association of Waterfront Employers and the National Maritime Safety Association in this pivotal role. 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 Carl Bentzel, NAWE’s president-elect. “I am also deeply thankful for my time at the Federal Maritime Commission and the opportunity to work with such dedicated colleagues who share a commitment to the success and integrity of our maritime industry.”

“I believe that the NAWE membership is the most important element in the conduct of the Nation’s supply chain. NAWE members are the interface that facilitates over 90% of the containerized cargo trade essential and critical to the health of the U.S. economy. As the President of NAWE and the Executive Director of NMSA, I intend to educate, promote, and seek overdue recognition of our industries’ value. These industries, in my view, sustained the Nation’s economy – and I look forward to ensuring U.S. policies continue to recognize the role and value of port and terminal operators,” added Bentzel.

Bentzel is currently serving his first term as a Commissioner at the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), which he commenced in December 2019, after having been nominated by President-elect, Donald J. Trump. He was re-nominated by President Joseph R. Biden in July of this year.

For over thirty years, Mr. Bentzel has contributed at the highest levels considering maritime policy and issues related to the nation’s supply chain. He worked for close to fifteen years as senior counsel on maritime and transportation shipping issues, where amongst other issues, he developed legislation that governs international container and cargo shipping including the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 1998. In the aftermath of the attacks of 9/11, he was one of the primary negotiators to implement new security standards at U.S. ports with the adoption of the Maritime Security Act of 2002. For his efforts on maritime security, the U.S. Coast Guard awarded him the U.S. Coast Guard’s medal for Meritorious Public Service.

Prior to reassuming his current position in the public sector as FMC Commissioner, he spent 15 years representing clients in maritime commerce, including NAWE from 2007-2014, and affiliated transportation industries on Capitol Hill and with federal agencies.

Since becoming an FMC Commissioner, he has worked tirelessly with the industry to address ocean shipping related challenges caused during the pandemic and helped to implement provisions of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022. He has also worked to develop to increase and develop standards for the transparency of information related to intermodal cargo shipments integral to the nation’s supply chain. He has been a true leader in policy issues impacting port and marine terminal operations at U.S. ports.

As President of NAWE, Mr. Bentzel will focus on advancing policies that enhance the efficiency, safety, and competitiveness of the U.S. maritime industry. His leadership at NMSA will also ensure that the safety of waterfront workers remains a top priority as the sector evolves with new technologies and operational challenges.

"The NAWE Board conducted an extensive search process over the last several months to select the next president. Mr. Bentzel possesses the unique skills and experience necessary to lead NAWE into its next chapter," said Tom Saunders, Chair of the NAWE Board and Head of Government Affairs for Ports America. In response to the continually changing federal legislative and regulatory environments, the NAWE Board, which comprises direct waterfront employers, has worked to revitalize the association over the past four years. "Since 2020, NAWE's overall membership has nearly quadrupled, and the Board of Directors has doubled in size, now representing an even larger portion of America's waterfront employers and workers. This growth ensures that NAWE members voices are heard in Congress and throughout federal regulatory agencies,” added Saunders.