Maritime Leadership News

Zelim announced the appointment of Mike Collier as Sales Director, effective January 2026. He will lead the organization’s focus on key sectors globally including the cruise and defense industries.Mike joins Zelim from MARSS, where he led business development for the cruise and defense sectors. As part of his 20-year career, including over six years in the cruise sector at Carnival Corporation, Mike led the working group that developed ISO 21195 (man-overboard detection) which was formally published in 2020…

OrbitMI, a provider of maritime SaaS software, announced the appointment of Andrew Redfern as Sales Director for the Nordic & Americas region. In this role, Redfern will lead OrbitMI’s commercial growth across Northern Europe, working with shipowners, operators, and commercial teams to deliver measurable operational and financial results.Redfern brings more than a decade of experience spanning maritime technology, commercial strategy, and financial analysis. Most recently, he served in senior sales leadership roles at ZeroNorth…

HII announced that Fatina Brave has been appointed vice president of infrastructure and sustainability at its Ingalls Shipbuilding division. Brave succeeds Eric Crooker, who has transitioned into the role of vice president of program management at Ingalls, succeeding George Nungesser who is retiring at the beginning of February after 37 years of service to the company.Brave will oversee all environmental, health, safety, security, facilities and maintenance operations at Ingalls.

On January 28, 2026, President Donald J. Trump designated Laura DiBella to serve as Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission.Chairman DiBella was sworn in as a Commissioner on January 6, 2026. She was nominated by President Trump on September 3, 2025 and confirmed by the United States Senate on December 18, 2025, to serve a term that expires on June 30, 2028.“It was a true honor to simply be nominated as a Commissioner of the Federal Maritime Commission, and to now be tapped as Chairman is nothing short of a privilege…

US Hoists Corp has announced the appointment of Michael Cetta as Chief Operating Officer.A Center Moriches native, Cetta earned his Bachelor of Business Administration from Farmingdale State College and brings an educational foundation and a proven record of leadership to his new role.With experience spanning business ownership, sales leadership, and project management, Cetta has demonstrated versatility across both small and large organizations. Most recently, he served as Chief Operating Officer at A1 Roofing…

HII announced that Daniel Marks has been appointed vice president of contracts and pricing at its Ingalls Shipbuilding division. Marks succeeds Stephen Fitts, who has been appointed vice president of supply chain management at Ingalls and is succeeding Scott Weldon who retired at the end of December 2025 after 25 years of service to the company.In this role, Marks will be responsible for contract administration, estimating and pricing, and export/import licensing and compliance for Ingalls.

The Council of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) has announced the election of Alex Gregg-Smith to the position of IACS Chair. Mr. Gregg-Smith will assume the role on July 1, and his term of office will run until December 31, 2027.Mr. Gregg-Smith has over twenty years’ experience with Bureau Veritas, as well as extensive in leadership roles in both shipyards and shipowners. He has also recently taken over the position of President, Marine & Offshore, Bureau Veritas, and is a dual UK-French national.Mr.

Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA), a top-ranked public university with undergraduate degree programs focusing on science, engineering, technology, math, and business that blend academics and experiential learning, announced the reappointment of Elizabeth B. Simmons, vice president of external affairs, to the reconstituted Seaport Economic Council.Named to the Council by Governor Maura Healey, Simmons serves on the newly reconstituted 15-member body, which is updating its mission and membership to better advance economic growth…

Robert Allan Ltd. has announced that Ms. Yufei Huang has earned her accreditation as a Professional Engineer with Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia (EGBC).Yufei is a valued member of the Naval Architecture and Weight Engineering team at Robert Allan Ltd. and has been working with the company since 2022, where she has been involved in many aspects of ship design.Yufei holds a Bachelor of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering from the University of Strathclyde and a Masters in Naval Architecture from the University of British Columbia.In her spare time…

The Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA), the national association representing the U.S. shipbuilding, maintenance and repair industry, announced its new Board of Directors leadership David Carver, President of General Dynamics NASSCO, is ascending from his position as Vice Chairman to Chairman of the Board, assuming the role from Brad Moyer, Vice President of Business Development and Strategic Planning at BAE Systems.Mr. Carver has been a dedicated member of the SCA Board of Directors and has 38 years of shipbuilding and ship repair experience, bringing leadership to his new role.

Supermaritime, warehousing and breakbulk services provider, has announced that Milan Tevel will assume the role of General Manager Supermaritime Nederland, effective January 1, 2026. Milan Tevel succeeds Martien Burger, a longtime force behind Supermaritime’s expansion over the past decades. In addition, the company expands its warehousing capacity by almost 13,000 m2.Supermaritime provides stevedoring, cargo handling, global freight forwarding, and supply chain services for breakbulk shippers and carriers worldwide.

Adm. Kevin E. Lunday will officially be sworn in as the 28th Commandant of the United States Coast Guard during an Assumption of Command Ceremony. The ceremony will be presided over by the Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.WHAT: Commandant’s assumption of command ceremonyWHEN: Thursday, January 15, 2026 at 11 a.m.WHERE: The ceremony will be streamed live for public viewing at: https://www.dvidshub.net/webcast/37352For more information, please contact the U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters media relations office at mediarelations@uscg.mil.

Fluid Marine, a U.S. builder of mission-ready rigid inflatable boats for law enforcement, search and rescue, and commercial operators, announced today that Tony Van Meter has joined the company as Executive Vice President, effective January 12, 2026.Van Meter brings more than three decades of experience in the maritime industry, with a career that began in operational service with the United States Coast Guard, followed by service as a Marine Enforcement Officer, and later progressing…

OrbitMI, a provider of maritime SaaS and a voyage optimization platform used by shipowners and operators worldwide, announced its expansion in Japan to support its growing customer base and expanding partner ecosystem in the region. To lead its Japan presence, OrbitMI has appointed Kazuo Yamashita as Business Development Partner, Japan. Yamashita-san will oversee business development, partnerships, and market activation, serving as OrbitMI’s exclusive representative in the country.Yamashita-san brings more than four decades of experience in the maritime and offshore sectors…

The Pasha Group, a leader in integrated global logistics and maritime services, announced that Cary Davis has joined the company as Vice President of Government Affairs to lead advocacy and corporate communications. In this role, Davis will oversee federal, state, and local government relations; industry and stakeholder engagement; media relations; and strategic communications in support of Pasha’s long-term growth and service to customers and communities.A business leader and trade attorney, Davis brings deep experience in maritime policy, infrastructure finance, and public affairs.

SSA Marine, an independent marine terminal operator, announced that Meghan Weinman has been promoted to president of SSA Marine’s conventional division and that Abigail Struxness has been promoted to vice president of sustainability.As president of the conventional division, Weinman will lead SSA Marine’s North American conventional cargo operations, which include a wide variety of breakbulk, bulk, perishables, and vehicle cargo across 55 locations on U.S. and Canadian coasts and waterways.

Crowley announced a strategic consolidation of its business structure to create more efficiency and value for customers. The company is creating two divisions: shipping and logistics, led by Executive Vice President and Division President James C. Fowler, and energy, led by Executive Vice President and Division President Kollin Fencil. This new alignment enhances agility while improving operational execution, positioning Crowley to more rapidly unlock growth across its shipping, logistics and energy sectors. Fowler and Fencil report to Chief Operating Officer Megan Davidson.

On January 6, 2026, Ms. Laura DiBella of Florida was sworn in as a Commissioner of the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC or Commission). Commissioner DiBella will serve for a term that expires on June 30, 2028. Commissioner DiBella was nominated by President Trump on September 3, 2025, confirmed by the United States Senate on December 18, 2025, and appointed to the Commission by the President on January 2, 2026.Commissioner DiBella previously served as Florida’s first female Secretary of Commerce and as President and CEO of Enterprise Florida.

Fincantieri Marinette Marine (FMM) appointed former U.S. ambassador to Norway and the 77th Secretary of the Navy, Kenneth J. Braithwaite, as Chairman of their Board of Directors. Braithwaite brings a career in defense and public service to the role, as well as deep Navy ties. He is a 1984 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and earned a master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. His active naval service included time as a naval aviator flying anti-submarine missions in the Pacific and Arctic…

Cavotec has appointed Erik Lyrvall, Head of Strategy and M&A, as a member of Cavotec’s Group Management. Erik joined Cavotec in autumn 2024 when he took up the position of Head of Strategy.In his role, Erik is responsible for driving the group’s strategic direction, leading M&A activities, evaluating partnerships and go-to-market strategies, and recommend initiatives to enhance operational efficiency and profitability.Before joining Cavotec, Erik served as Head of the Transformation Office at Intrum 2021–2024, where he led the group’s strategy execution and major strategic projects.

Crowley announced that Jen Leonard has been appointed chief people officer, effective January 1, 2026, leading its enterprise-wide activities to sustain an elite culture and high performance at the maritime, logistics and energy solutions company.As vice president of Crowley’s Talent and Culture group since 2023, Leonard has been instrumental in advancing the company’s human capital strategy and programs. These include talent strategies for employee performance, experience and…

The GTT Group announced the appointment of François Michel as Chief Executive Officer, effective January 5, 2026, thereby restoring a dissociated governance structure.This decision was taken unanimously by the Board of Directors of the Group at its meeting held on December 13, 2025.Following a demanding selection process, the Board of Directors selected François Michel for his managerial experience, his strong command of the technological challenges specific to GTT and its industry…

Sabine Surveyors, Ltd. has announced organizational changes aimed at strengthening its position in the marine services industry. Effective December 1, 2025, our parent company has transitioned from Gulf Copper & Manufacturing Corp. to Sabine Marine Group.In addition, Gulf Copper Government Services has officially become Sabine Ship Repair, Inc., aligning our operations under a unified brand that reflects our core values and strategic vision.As part of this transition, we are proud…