Senate Confirms Stephen Carmel as Maritime Administrator

December 19th, 2025

The U.S. Senate confirmed Stephen Carmel as Administrator of the Maritime Administration on Thursday ending months of uncertainty over leadership at the agency tasked with revitalizing America’s domestic shipbuilding industry.

As Administrator of the Maritime Administration, he will also serve as Commandant of the U.S. Maritime Service, overseeing the training, readiness, and commissioning of U.S. Merchant Marine officers who support national defense, sealift operations, and maritime workforce development.

Carmel, president of U.S. Marine Management LLC, brings decades of maritime experience to the role. His 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.

“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 crucial to moving goods for the American people and safeguarding our national security, so I look forward to investing this vital industry that sustains American life.”

Carmel becomes the first MARAD Administrator since Captain William G. Schubert (2001–2005) to hold a Master’s Unlimited license. He is a 1979 graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and holds advanced degrees in Economics and International Finance from Old Dominion University.

Stephen Carmel

Maritime labor organizations welcomed the confirmation. In a joint statement, the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association, American Maritime Officers, the International Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots, the Seafarers International Union, the Sailors’ Union of the Pacific, and the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO expressed confidence in the new administrator.

“Stephen Carmel brings deep industry knowledge and a lifelong commitment to the U.S. flag fleet,” the unions stated??. “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.”???

Carmel’s confirmation was processed as part of an en bloc vote after Republicans changed Senate rules to allow batch confirmations.

Laura DiBella was also confirmed as Federal Maritime Commissioner for a term ending June 30, 2028.

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, praised Carmel’s nomination in November. “Stephen Carmel is nominated to be Administrator of the U.S. Maritime Administration. I believe he has a clear vision to rebuild the U.S. shipbuilding ecosystem, which is very important to our economy and to our national security,” Cantwell said. She added that she was “pleased to support his nomination and glad that he supports the Jones Act and is committed to addressing sexual misconduct at the Merchant Marine Academy.”

As Maritime Administrator, Carmel will oversee President Trump’s efforts to revitalize domestic maritime and shipbuilding capabilities after decades of decline. Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, who introduced Carmel at a Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee nominations hearing in October, shares Carmel’s commitment to revitalizing American maritime industries. Both are graduates of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

Carmel’s nomination came after President Trump withdrew the nomination of retired Navy Captain Brent Sadler in May 2025. Sadler expressed support for his successor, stating: “Stephen Carmel is solid – bottom line the nation needs leadership in MARAD ASAP. I have known Stephen for years and support him.”

The U.S. Department of Transportation named Sang H. Yi as Acting Maritime Administrator in June 2025 while Carmel awaited Senate confirmation. Yi is also a U.S. Merchant Marine Academy graduate with nearly 15 years of congressional oversight experience.

DiBella, who was confirmed alongside Carmel in a 53-43 vote, is an attorney at Adams & Reese and Florida’s first female Secretary of Commerce. Her extensive background includes serving as President of Business Development at FloridaCommerce, President/CEO at Enterprise Florida, and Executive Director of Florida Harbor Pilots Association.

The confirmations follow the departure of former FMC Chairman Louis Sola at the end of June, after which the Chairman position remained vacant. Sola, originally nominated by President Trump in 2018 and unanimously confirmed by the Senate, was named Chairman on January 20, 2025, following Trump’s second inauguration.