Maffei designated FMC chair

The Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance congratulates Daniel Maffei, who was designated chair of the Federal Maritime Commission by President Biden on Monday.

Maffei, a native New Yorker who served two terms in the U.S. House of Representative as well as in the Department of Commerce for the Obama Administration, has served on the FMC as a commissioner since 2016.

“We commend the appointment of Daniel Maffei to FMC chair,” said SSGA Executive Director Eric Wenberg. “He is excellently suited for this position. He understands the trade issues we are facing amid the current container shipping crisis and the regulatory response needed to reduce the shocks to the supply system.”

Maffei co-authored a letter to the World Shipping Council regarding U.S. exporters concerns about cargo being refused by major ocean carriers and how that could be a violation of the Shipping Act. Those discriminatory practices were first brought to the public’s attention in October. Maffei has also supported the FMC’s investigation into detention and demurrage practices by ocean carriers.

In a statement released Tuesday, Maffei said this is a “critical time for our nation’s supply chain. Due to the effects of COVID-19 and an unprecedented import boom, we are dealing with serious challenges to America’s international ocean transportation system – challenges that the FMC has a vital role in addressing, both on its own as an independent agency and in cooperation with other agencies.”

Maffei replaces Michael Khouri as FMC chair.