May 23, 2024
The Baltimore Bridge event highlights some key basics of supply chain resilience. Much of the impact is dependent on the role the disrupted node plays in the overall network and if the disruption was a random event or a directed attack. There are also effects from the disruption itself and then cascading effects due to the reaction of regulatory or government bodies, which often can be worse than the disruption itself. Transportation nodes usually are part of several networks that are overlaid and the node can play different roles depending on the network under study. Effects can be local or systemic for each. There are also collateral networks that are also affected. For example, the general effects in the insurance market will be felt far and wide, even for companies that are not related to the incident and never call Baltimore. The pooling of risk creates some interesting effects. So the question of what was the impact of the Bridge disaster is complicated and we are unlikely to know the full extent for years, but we can get an idea of what is to come by thinking through some network basics. Lastly, it is worth noting that the bridge collapse affected a road network as well as a marine one. While not the topic here, it is worth remembering the considerable disruption there as well.
Steve Carmel is the President of US Marine Management, LLC (USMMI). US Marine Management was formerly a division of Maersk Line Limited where, before the spin-off to Maritime Partners, Steve was Senior VP responsible for the USMMI business unit. USMMI operates a variety of ships, including tankers, roll-on/roll-off, and military special purpose types. Before this position, Steve headed up technical operations for Maersk Line Limited. Mr. Carmel began his career sailing as a deck officer and Master primarily on tankers.
Mr. Carmel graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in 1979. He also holds an M.A. in Economics and an M.B.A. in International Finance from Old Dominion University and is Ph.D./ABD in International Studies with an emphasis on International Political Economy and a second emphasis on Conflict. He is a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and is certified in Financial Management (CFM). He is also a graduate of the University of Michigan, Ross School of Business Advanced Management Program. Steve’s research and publishing interests are in maritime security, globalization, trade and conflict, and Arctic regional issues.
Mr. Carmel recently rotated from a position with the Naval Studies Board of the National Academies of Science. Steve is a former member of the Chief of Naval Operations Executive Panel, Marine Studies Board of the National Academies of Science, the NOAA Hydrographic Services Review Panel, and a 2009 Senior Fellow at the Homeland Security Policy Institute at George Washington University. Steve was a Presidential appointee to the Board of Visitors at the US Merchant Marine Academy and on the Board of Directors of the Hampton Roads Global Affairs Council.
Steve was awarded the Meritorious Public Service Award by the Chief of Naval Operations in 2017.
Steve, his wife, Alison, and son, John live in Norfolk, Virginia.