FEDERAL MARITIME COMMISSION

ANTONY M. MERCK BECOMES A MEMBER
OF FEDERAL MARITIME COMMISSION;
MING CHEN HSU RETIRES

WASHINGTON, D.C.

NR 00-02

CONTACT: Bryant L. VanBrakle, Secretary at (202) 523-5725.

FOR RELEASE: January 5, 2000

The Federal Maritime Commission today announced that Antony M. Merck has been sworn in as a member of the Commission. Commissioner Merck has been appointed to a term that will expire June 30, 2001.

A resident of Charleston, South Carolina, Commissioner Merck is a graduate of the University of Virginia and received a J.D. degree from the University of South Carolina. Mr. Merck served in the United States Coast Guard from 1966 to 1970, and practiced law with the firm of Buist, Moore, Smythe and McGee of Charleston from 1973 through 1994. While practicing law, Mr. Merck focused primarily in the areas of maritime and admiralty law and had extensive experience representing ship owners and protection and indemnity insurance clients. More recently, Mr. Merck has been involved in investment management and with several non-profit organizations related to health care and natural resources conservation.

Mr. Merck has been affiliated with a variety of maritime-related associations which include: the Maritime Association of the Port of Charleston; the Lowcountry International Trade Association; the Trident Chamber of Commerce and its International Trade Task Force; the Propeller Club of the United States, Port of Charleston, South Carolina; and the Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute. Since 1980 he has been a Proctor in the Maritime Law Association of the United States, which is involved in reviewing and commenting on the U.S. position concerning international conventions on maritime matters.

Chairman Harold J. Creel, Jr. praised Mr. Merck in welcoming him to the agency: "We are extremely fortunate to have Tony Merck as our most recent Commissioner. He brings a wealth of experience to the very significant issues we face here at the Commission. I look forward to working with him in finding solutions to these issues that benefit the entire ocean transportation industry."

Chairman Creel further noted that Commissioner Ming Chen Hsu retired from the Commission on December 31, 1999: "We are truly going to miss working with Ming Hsu on a daily basis. Her 10-year tenure at the Commission was marked by her genuine desire to foster a competitive and equitable trading environment in our ocean trades. It has been a pleasure for me to serve with her for the past 5 years. I always valued Ming's sound judgment, and I am certain that she will continue to be successful in her future endeavors."