WASHINGTON — Joe Kramek has been appointed president and CEO of the World Shipping Council to replace the retiring John Butler, the container shipping lobby group announced on Wednesday.
Kramek has been WSC’s director of U.S. government relations since March 2021.
“I am deeply honored to assume the role of president and CEO, building on the foundation laid by John Butler,” Kramek said. “Together with the dedicated team at WSC, I look forward to addressing the evolving needs of the shipping industry and continue driving positive change.”
Butler, who joined WSC as general counsel in 2010, has served as president and CEO since 2015.
“It has been a privilege to lead the World Shipping Council during a time of significant growth and complexity in the maritime sector,” Butler said. “I am confident that with Joe’s extensive experience and committed leadership, WSC will continue to flourish and develop even further, and I wish him and the entire team continued success in the years ahead.”
When contacted by FreightWaves, Butler, 62, added that he’s looking forward to “doing other things in life. I’ve had a good run, the organization’s in a good place, so the stars have aligned for this to be a good time to make a change.”
Butler and Kramek plan to work on a succession plan in the coming months before Kramek officially takes over on Aug. 1.
Butler has been a firm defender of his container ship-carrier members on Capitol Hill, perhaps most notably when the industry was being hammered by allegations of price gouging in the wake of supply chain bottlenecks and clogged seaports post-pandemic. He has also been instrumental in guiding environmental policy in response to international pressure to decarbonize shipping.
In his new role, Kramek “is poised to lead the organization into its next phase of development, working for the continued advancement of a socially responsible, environmentally sustainable, safe, and secure global maritime trade,” WSC stated.
Kramek spent 28 years as a commissioned officer with the U.S. Coast Guard, which included time at sea as well as the Coast Guard’s chief of maritime, international and environmental law. During his time there, he also represented the U.S. delegation at the International Maritime Organization.