Carl Bentzel was sworn in at the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission on Dec. 9, commencing a term as commissioner that will expire June 30, 2024.
His appointment fills the five-person commission, which also includes Chairman Michael Khouri and Commissioners Rebecca Dye, Daniel Maffei and Louis Sola.
Bentzel was nominated by President Trump to serve as an FMC commissioner on June 12. He participated in a Senate Commerce Committee confirmation hearing on July 24 and was confirmed by the full Senate on Nov. 21.
He began his career in 1990 serving as counsel on the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries for the Democratic staff and from 1995 to 2004 was senior counsel to the Democratic staff on the Senate Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine.
He also participated in the drafting and passage of the 1998 Ocean Shipping Reform Act and served on the Presidential Advisory Commission on Conferences in Ocean Shipping.
After Capitol Hill, Bentzel worked in private practice on policy issues and projects related to the transportation, shipping and energy sectors in Washington, D.C.
“Given his long experience in Washington in general, and experience with shipping and competition issues in particular, I am confident he will make important and positive contributions to the work of this agency,” Khouri said in a statement.