President Obama has nominated William Doyle, chief of staff of the MTD-affiliated Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association (MEBA), to a seat on the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC).
With MEBA, Doyle has been a strong voice on important maritime issues, including the American Marine Highway initiative, the need to maintain a competitive commercial shipbuilding base in the United States, the Jones Act, cargo preference and others issues dealing with U.S.-flag maritime. Prior to being chief of staff, he served MEBA as Director of Government & Legislative Affairs and Deputy General Counsel.
The Massachusetts Maritime Academy graduate also worked for the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects’ office of federal coordinator as director of permits, scheduling and compliance. He holds a law degree from Widener University.
Doyle faces confirmation by the U.S. Senate. He would take the seat currently held by Commissioner Joseph Brennan whose has stayed on the FMC despite his term’s expiration in 2008. Doyle’s term would expire in 2013.
The FMC is an independent agency responsible for the regulation of oceanborne transportation in the foreign trades.