An important figure in the evolution of U.S. transportation industries, Daniel J. Kerrigan retired from ACL in 1987.
Daniel J. Kerrigan, a former President of Atlantic Container Lines, Ltd., passed away at home in South Carolina with his family on April 6 at the age of 90.
Kerrigan was an important figure in the evolution of the highly regulated American transportation industries until deregulation started in 1978, often testifying before congressional committees or governmental bodies charged with the development of national transportation policy.
Born in 1924 in Boston, Kerrigan enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1942. In 1943, he was stationed with the Royal Marines and their Special Boat Service at RM Poole in Dorset, England. From this base, used to train personnel for the D-Day landings, he served in combat operations in the English Channel, making three landings during the Normandy invasion at Omaha Beach. He participated in operations in Holland and the seizure of vessels at the German naval base at Bremerhaven.
Upon his return to Boston, Mr. Kerrigan enrolled and graduated from Harvard University. He married E. Ruth O’Neill, who predeceased him in 2002, and they raised five children together.
While in college, he began his career in transportation working for the Railway Express Agency, which became REA Express. Over the years, he rose through REA Express to become vice president of terminal operations and marketing.
In 1971, Atlantic Container Lines – USA, Ltd. hired Kerrigan as vice president of sales and marketing. Today ACL is owned by the Grimaldi Group, but at that time it was owned by a European consortium.
After being promoted to executive vice president, Kerrigan succeeded O.I.M. Porton to become the first American president of the company.
His tenure was marked by major accomplishments such as the launch of the third generation of ACL’s roll-on/roll-off containerships, the largest in the world at that time; significant expansion of ports served and new services initiated; the startup of ACL’s trucking and other port services subsidiaries; and receiving the President’s “E” Award for Export Service for ACL’s outstanding contribution to the Export Expansion program of the United States. Kerrigan retired from ACL in 1987.
Kerrigan was active in industry and advisory groups, and a noted public speaker. He was president of the Containerization and Intermodal Institute, advised the Navy’s Military Sealift Command on the startup of the Navy’s first reserve rapid deployment operations, and continued to meet with many European ocean carriers and other companies regarding a range of issues for many years into retirement.
He is survived by his children Daniel, Jr., Stephen, William, Maryann, and eight grandchildren. He was predeceased by his son James in 1991.
There are no public services and his burial will be conducted at sea by the U.S. Navy.
