FMC Chairman Louis Sola to Step Down on June 30
Louis E. Sola, the Chairman of the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission, announced he will be leaving his position as of June 30. Sola was in his second term on the commission and had been elevated to the chairman’s role in January 2025 by Donald Trump at the start of his presidency. Sola comments that it is a "planned date and event," noting he was at the end of his two-year extension after his first term.
Sola called his nearly eight years on the FMC the “honor of a lifetime.” He was nominated by Donald Trump in 2018 to become a commissioner and reappointed by Joe Biden. Sola said his objectives when he joined the FMC were to strengthen American competitiveness, protect ports and the supply chain, and “bringing lasting accountability to the global shipping system.”
Early in his tenure, Sola rose to prominence leading Fact Finding efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. He explored the impact on the cruise industry and related businesses and on the supply chain. The FMC released a series of reports focusing on the ports and supply chain issues during the pandemic and how to strengthen the systems.
In his statement announcing his departure, Sola points to his efforts in helping safeguard the integrity of the U.S. maritime industry. He highlighted the contribution to bringing greater transparency to port operations and overseeing the supply chain. Sola was outspoken on his views on trade calling the FMC a leading international trade regulator, and on the need for supporting the maritime sector along with other forms of transportation in the efforts to supply alternative fuels. At the beginning of June, he discussed these issues with Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero.
It is a critical time for the U.S. and global maritime sectors as the Trump administration and the U.S. Congress have launched efforts to rebuild the American merchant marine and plans to counter China’s dominance in ports, shipping, and shipbuilding with new fees and regulations. Sola testified before Congress talking about the efficiency of the Panama Canal after Donald Trump called for the U.S. to retake control of the waterway. The FMC has also launched efforts looking at ports as choke points in the supply chain and recently started a review of flagging practices for ships, calling for a crackdown on loosely administered registries.
Sola, born in Indiana, served in the U.S. Army for 11 years before starting a long career in the maritime sector and as a businessman in private enterprise. Before his nomination for the FMC, he was a commissioner on the Florida Board of Pilots Commissioners, which is responsible for overseeing licensing and regulating harbor pilots. In business, he was a ship and mega yacht broker. He also developed international strategies in finance focusing on the maritime sector in Latin America.
Donald Trump will need to nominate a new chairman and commissioner to the FMC. The role requires Senate approval.