Rear Admiral Paul Thomas has handed over the top shipping safety job at the US Coast Guard.
Thomas said on the agency's Maritime Commons blog that Rear Admiral John Nadeau takes over today as assistant commandant for prevention policy, which oversees marine safety and security.
"It has been a distinct privilege to lead and represent the men and women of the US Coast Guard who are dedicated to ensure our national security and economic prosperity by ensuring the safety, security and environmental soundness of our marine transportation system globally," said Thomas.
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"It has been an equal privilege to work with interagency, industry and NGO stakeholders from around the world."
Thomas, who was assistant commandant for three years, will take command of the USCG's Eighth District, which covers the Gulf Coast from Texas to the Louisiana.
Carleen Lyden Walker, executive director of industry group North American Marine Environmental Protection Association (Namepa), says Thomas has been an example of the USCG's finest.
"He is intelligent, articulate, thoughtful and intentional," he said. "Under his watch, we gained the QualShip-E program."
Nadeau has been serving as assistant commandant for capability, but his new appointment marks a return to marine safety, the core focus of his 30-year career.
He was commanding officer for the USCG's Marine Safety Center, which reviews and approves plans for design, construction and repair of vessels subject to US laws.
Before that, Nadeau served as chief of the Office of Design and Engineering Standards and commanding officer of the Marine Safety Unit in Wilmington, North Carolina.
The native of Saco, Maine, has three master's degrees in naval architecture and marine engineering, homeland security and defence, and mechanical engineering.
'Highly regarded'
The USCG's new marine safety chief has some fans in the shipping industry already.
His LinkedIn profile includes a 2012 recommendation from Rob Griffiths, the vice president of maritime policy at Cruise Lines International Association, over his participation on the design and equipment subcommittee of the International Maritime Organization.
"Highly regarded by other experts from maritime countries around the world, he has provided exceptional expertise while improving commercial vessel design standards and increasing maritime safety and pollution prevention," Griffiths wrote.
