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Joseph A. Byrne

Associate Administrator for Environment and Compliance

Joseph A. Byrne

Mr. Joseph A. Byrne, a member of the U.S. Senior Executive Service, became the Associate Administrator for Environment and Compliance on May 27, 2007.

In this position, he implements the formulated and critical Maritime Administration role in addressing the growing regulatory and compliance challenges facing the Nation’s maritime community. In this regard, he is responsible for supervising, directing and coordinating the activities of the office of the Associate Administrator for Environment and Compliance and its constituent elements dedicated to issues of safety, security, environment, compliance, related international rules, regulations and standards and programmatic maritime research and development.

From 2000 to 2007, Mr. Byrne was Director, Office of Shipbuilding and Marine Technology, Maritime Administration (later renamed the Office of Marine Asset Construction and Technology). In this role, he supervised, directed and coordinated the Agency's continuing support to the maritime industry in regaining and retaining its competitiveness worldwide. In addition, he oversaw the delivery of technical marine engineering and naval architectural support, consultative services and assistance to, among others, the Maritime Administration’s Title XI, RRF and other vessel construction, repair and operations related programs, to the Navy’s NSRP/ASE Program, to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) U.S./ China Environmental Technology Exchange Initiative, to the National Science Foundation Design/Development Program of a New Class of Polar Exploration Vessels, and to the NOAA Fisheries Research Vessel Design/Development Program.

From 1994 to 2000, Mr. Byrne was the Director, of the Office of Shipyard Revitalization, and National Maritime Resource & Education Center (NMREC). In this position, Mr. Byrne served as the principal advisor to the Maritime Administrator in the formulation, implementation, analysis and evaluation of the 1993 National Shipbuilding Initiative (NSI) – an executive/legislative branch program to support long-range goals and programs designed to assist the U.S. shipbuilding industry in reestablishing its competitive position in the international commercial marketplace.

For a period of seven years (1987-1993), Mr. Byrne was a member of the U.S. State Department Foreign Service Delegation to the Commission for the Study of Alternatives to the Panama Canal (CAS). CAS was an international mission established by the Panama Canal Treaty of 1969, staffed by the governments of Panama, Japan and the United States, and based in the Republic of Panama. Its mission was, in effect, to devise a master plan for the Panama Canal for a facilities expansion in the 21^st Century. The United States mission or delegation consisted of representatives of the State, Transportation, Commerce and Defense Departments. After two years on site, Mr. Byrne was named Principal U.S. Delegate and shortly thereafter was appointed by the CAS tri-national Board of Directors as the CAS Executive Director. The CAS report, calling for the construction of a larger, independent, parallel lock system was published in 1994 and was a factor in the passage of a referendum by the Panamanian electorate approving a Canal improvement project calling for the construction of a “third lock” system capable of servicing larger ships.

From September 1985 to December 1986, Mr. Byrne was Chief, Division of Ship Financing Contracts, Office of the Chief Counsel, Maritime Administration. He had the responsibility for representing the U.S. Government's interests in the negotiation and closing of major Title XI loan guarantee transactions involving the construction of U.S.-flag vessels built or to be built in U.S. shipyards.

Mr. Byrne served as a Commissioned Officer in the United States Marine Corps, with last active duty as a member of the Staff of the Commanding General, First Marine Air Wing.