Key Noters （Listed in no particular order）

Chairman Richard A. Lidinsky, Jr., of Baltimore, MD, was sworn in as Commissioner for a term to expire on June 30, 2012. He was nominated by President Barack Obama on June 18, 2009, and confirmed by the Senate on July 24, 2009. On September 11, 2009 he was designated Chairman.

Chairman Lidinsky comes to the Commission as a 37-year veteran in the maritime trade industry from positions held in both business and government. After serving as a Congressional aide on the U.S. House of Representatives Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, he began his professional legal career in the FMC's Office of General Counsel as Legislative Counsel from 1973-75.  In 1975 the Maryland Port Administration appointed him to be Director of Tariffs and National Port Affairs, as well as counsel.

While representing the Port of Baltimore on both regional and national port organizations, he was a key architect of the port protection sections in the Panama Canal Treaty Implementing Legislation and the Shipping Act of 1984. Mr. Lidinsky  also helped negotiate on behalf of the port one of the first US-China trade agreements. In 1985 Sea Containers Ltd., the global maritime manufacturer and container leasing company, recruited Mr. Lidinsky to establish their Washington, DC office. As Vice President for Governmental Affairs until 2006, he secured contracts with the Pentagon to supply military equipment from Sea Containers' factory in Charleston, SC. He also served as a member of the Sealift Transportation Committee of the National Defense Transportation Association; as Board Director and on the Defense, Transportation and Port Security Committee of the British-American Business Association; and as a High-Level Expert to the U.S. NATO Delegation on the Ports and Intermodal Transportation Committee from 1995-2005. Most recently, Mr. Lidinsky worked as an attorney and international trade consultant in private practice.

Mr. Zhang Ye is the President of Shanghai Shipping Exchange and the delegate of Shanghai Municipal People’s Congress. He graduated from Wuhan University of Technology and got the MBA degree of Shanghai Jiaotong University and PhD degree of Shanghai Maritime University.

He had on-board experience in charge of ship’s navigation engines and ship technology and management experience, having supervised building of passenger ships, tugboats, leisure boats, bulk carriers, multi-purpose container ships, etc. He obtained the rank of Senior Engineer early in 1996.

Before becoming the president of Shanghai Shipping Exchange, he worked as the Deputy GM of Shanghai Changjiang Ship Co., Ltd. and other top leaders, and had abundant experience in operation and management of domestic and foreign trade transport, operation and management of container fleet, supervision and management of shipbuilding technology and management of shipping-related service enterprises.

Zhang is also the guest professor of Shanghai Jiaotong University, Dalian Maritime University and Shanghai Maritime University as well as the deputy chairman of Shanghai Port Union, director of Shanghai Navigation Academy, member of Shanghai Arbitration Commission and expert member of News Agency Consultants Committee of MOT. He was awarded the honor of “Shanghai Municipal Leading Talent” and “Hongkou District Leading Talent” and selected as the Top 100 Most Influential People of Shipping Sector by Lloyd’s List in 2010 and 2011.

Since 1978, Claude Lebel has worked in the Shipping Industry for various positions leading up to the present – heading CMA CGM activities in Asia, representing over 2/3 of the Group’s turnover. A strong desire to travel has led Mr. Lebel in choosing an international carrier, and various long-termed foreign assignments have allowed him to hold management positions in diverse countries - Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Japan, Germany, United Kingdom and now, Hong Kong.

Mr Yang joined SITC since 1997 and now acts as SITC’s Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer. Graduated from the China Europe International Business School with master’s degree of Business Administration in 2006, Mr Yang has already possessed rich experience of shipping and logistics industry for more than 25 years.

Mr Yang was awarded “HR Winning Strategy for Business Leadership Prize” held by Wealth and Wisdom Magazine (China) limited company and Asia-Pacific Human Resource Research Association in November 2005, “Shipping and Logistics Industry Luminary of New China’s 60th anniversary” held by China Communications and Transportation Association in November 2009, “Top Ten Newsmaker Prize in 2009” held by China Shipping Gazette in January 2010, “Top Ten Leading Celebrities in 2011” elected by the authoritative magazine China Shipping Gazette and the unique “News Cover Character” in 2011, “Outstanding Contribution Prize of Logistics Industry in 2012” elected by “The 8th China International Logistics Festival” in May 2012, and “Best Executives Prize” elected by “The 8th Trade Winds Shipping China” in the same year.

Chen Qiang, as Chinese Communist Party member and Professor Senior Engineer, once the 8th Party Representative of CPC in Shanghai and awarded the State Council special allowance, now serves as the 11th Party Representative of CPC in Jiangsu province and 13th NPC Representative in Nantong.

Mr Chen was awarded Bachelor’s degree of Power Engineering Specialty in Shanghai Jiaotong University, Master’s degree of Business Administration in China Europe International Business School, Doctor’s degree of Shipping and Marine Structure Design and Manufacture in Harbin Engineering University, and EMPAcc of Senior Accountant Professionals in Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Mr Chen entered Jiangnan Shipyard in 1982 and afterwards was promoted to General Manager assistant and Deputy General Manager of Jiangnan Shipyard (group) Company; served as Director, Deputy General Manager, Deputy Chairman and General Manager of Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Limited Company since 1999; as Chairman and President of Jiangsu Rongsheng Heavy Industry Limited Company in 2004; as Director and President of China Rongsheng Heavy Industry Group Holdings Limited since 2010.

Meanwhile, Mr Chen also serves as Vice-chairman of China Shipbuilding Industry Association, Adjunct Professor and Doctoral Supervisor of Shanghai Jiaotong University, Adjunct Professor and Doctoral Supervisor of Harbin Engineering University, and Adjunct Professor of Jiangsu Science and Technology University. He specializes in the modern shipbuilding mode and production management technology research, shipbuilding research, and supply chain management and enterprise operation management mode research.

Furthermore, he also serves as Chairman of Advanced Technology Professional Titles Review Meeting of Ship and Ocean Engineering in Jiangsu province, Executive Director of Shanghai Shipbuilding Engineering Institute, Technical Committee member of CCS, LR, GL, BV, DNV and ABS, President of Ship and Supporting Industrial Technology Innovation Alliance in Jiangsu province, Honorary Chairman of Nantong Shipping Industry Association, etc, ranking 41st as the “Top 100 Influential People in Global Shipping Industry” awarded by London Lloyd’s List.

Ying Xinlong, as the 11th Shanghai Political Consultative Conference Member and Level one Senior Judge, once the Vice President of Shanghai Second Intermediate People’s Court, President of Shanghai Zhabei District People’s Court, and Vice President of Shanghai Higher People’s Court, now serves as the Party Secretary, President and Judicial Committee Member of Shanghai Maritime Court. In addition, he serves as the Standing Director of China Judicial Theory Research Committee and Deputy Director of Maritime Affairs Professional Judgment Committee, probing into the theory and practice of maritime trial. He also works as the chief editor of “Selected Maritime Cases of Shanghai Maritime Court (bilingual edition)” and published “2010-2011 Maritime Trials ‘White Paper’”, etc.

After graduated from International Shipping Department of Shanghai Maritime University in 1982, and then MSc and PhD of Paris University in 1984 and 1987, Mr. Ma Shuo worked in China Ocean Shipping Company from 1988 to 1991, then entered UN Trade and Development Commission as the shipping expert from 1991 to 1995. He was recruited by World Maritime University since 1995, and then served as the vice-president of the university up to now since 2001. He also worked as a member of International Shipping Economists Council, external auditor of University of Southampton, and guest professor of Erasmus, Lisbon Science and Technology University, Sweden Chalmers University, Paris University, etc. He was in charge of management and development of World Maritime University’s international businesses since 2011, and established two MSc programmes WMU delivers in China in collaboration with Shanghai Maritime University and Dalian Maritime University respectively, and now serves as the director of the WMU Shanghai Centre, distinguished Oriental Scholar Professor of Shanghai Maritime University as well as guest professor of both Dalian Maritime University and Singapore MPA.