
Biography
Louis E. Sola was designated Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission by President Donald J. Trump on January 20, 2025. He was originally nominated to the Commission by President Trump on November 15, 2018, to a term expiring on June 30, 2023. The United States Senate confirmed his nomination on January 2, 2019, and he was sworn into office on January 23, 2019. Chairman Sola was a 2018 candidate for Florida’s 24th Congressional District in his hometown of Miami, Florida.
Chairman Sola was previously appointed by then-Governor Rick Scott to serve as a Commissioner on the Florida Board of Pilots Commissioners in 2015. As a Commissioner of the Board of Pilots, Chairman Sola was responsible for licensing and regulating harbor pilots and served on the Probable Cause Panel for Marine Accidents.
Between 2005 and 2018, Chairman Sola was a licensed ship and mega yacht broker who served as Chief Executive Officer of Evermarine, and as an executive with prestigious yachting firms Northup and Johnson Yacht and Campers and Nicholsons (including winning the Cannes – Azimut Benetti Sales Award).
Between 1998 and 2004, Chairman Sola served as a consultant with Berkshire Capital and Arden and Price while raising his family in the Panama Canal Zone. During this time, he authored, inter alia, studies for the Inter-American Development Bank regarding the creation of a Central American Index fund through the region’s equity markets. Chairman Sola also developed international finance strategies focusing on the maritime sector in Latin America (including ports, free trade zones and ship repairs) as well as management of greenfield projects.
Chairman Sola served in the U.S. Army between 1986 and 1997 as a strategic debriefer and as a counter intelligence agent. He served the U.S. Army’s Intelligence and Security Command in Munich, Germany after the fall of the Berlin Wall by strategically debriefing refugees from Eastern Europe. Subsequently, Chairman Sola served the U.S. Army’s Southern Command as a Spanish linguist involved with counter intelligence activities in Panama during the War on Drugs in the 1990’s. Mr. Sola earned the US Army Parachutist Badge (Airborne) and was awarded the Humanitarian Service Medal for his efforts during the Cuban Refugee Crisis. He has also received the National Defense Service Medal, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, the Army Commendation Medal and has received the Army Achievement Award three times. He is a two-time graduate of the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, Presidio of Monterey, CA (Spanish, German).
Chairman Sola earned his A.A. in history from Parkland College; a B.S. in Management from the Nova Southeastern University and a M.S in international finance from the University of Illinois, and served as an adjunct professor at Florida State University between 1999 and 2001 where he taught classes in small business, finance and entrepreneurship. He is an avid fan of Miami Marlins baseball and has two children, Carolyn and Anthony Sola.
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Recent News
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Statement of Chairman Louis E. Sola on the IMO & Decarbonization
Updated June 30, 2025 Most Americans likely possess little knowledge of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), but the actions it is taking to address vessel emissions under the “Net-Zero Framework” will have consequential negative effects…
Categories: Louis E. Sola
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Statement of Chairman Louis E. Sola Announcing Departure From FMC
June 30, 2025, marks the conclusion of my tenure as Chairman of the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC). Serving our Nation in this capacity has been the honor of a lifetime. I have had the…
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Readout of Meeting Between Chairman Louis Sola & Marianthi “Rannia” Leontaridi, Director General, Aviation, Maritime and Security Group, U.K. Department for Transport
Federal Maritime Commission Chairman Louis E. Sola met on June 10, 2025, with Dr. Marianthi “Rannia” Leontaridi, the Director General Aviation, Maritime and Security Group, U.K. Department for Transport. “The United States and the United…
Categories: Louis E. Sola
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Readout of Meeting Between FMC Chairman Louis E. Sola and Danish Maritime Authority DG Brian Wessel
Federal Maritime Commission Chairman Louis E. Sola and Director General Brian Wessel of the Danish Maritime Authority met on June 2, 2025, to discuss the recently launched FMC investigations and broader U.S. Maritime policy issues.…
Categories: Louis E. Sola
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Statement of Chairman Louis E. Sola on FMC Investigation into Flags of Convenience and Unfavorable Conditions Created by Certain Flagging Practices
The Federal Maritime Commission’s nonadjudicatory investigation both calls attention to the longstanding problems associated with irresponsible flagging practices and seeks to identify the steps necessary to bring more uniformity and responsibility to the world’s ships…
Categories: Louis E. Sola
Upcoming Chairman Appearances
Chairman Sola has no upcoming appearances.
Past Chairman Appearances
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Chairman Sola to Address Agricultural Transportation Coalition
June 16, 2025 | Tacoma, WA Chairman Louis E. Sola is a featured speaker at 37th Annual Meeting of the Agricultural Transportation Coalition (AgTC) where he will discuss the work of the Federal Maritime Commission. …
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Chairman Sola Appearing as a Featured Guest on Upcoming Edition of PoLB’s “Port Update”
June 2025 | YouTube Federal Maritime Commission Chairman Louis Sola will be interviewed by Port of Long Beach Chief Executive Officer Mario Cordero on an upcoming episode of Port Talk. The interview will be available on…
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Chairman Sola Speaking at Seatrade Cruise Global 2025
April 9, 2025 | Miami, FL Chairman Louis Sola will participate in a one-on-one discussion with Bud Darr, President & CEO of the Cruise Lines International Association, during Seatrade Cruise Global 2025. Information about the…
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Chairman Sola Delivering Keynote Address at AAPA Summit
March 19, 2025 | Washington, D.C. Chairman Louis E. Sola will deliver keynote remarks at the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) 2025 Legislative Summit. The summit agenda and information on costs to attend can be…