Shashi N. Kumar, Ph.D., Master Mariner, joined Federal Senior Executive Service in January 2007 and was appointed the Maritime Administration’s first Deputy Associate Administrator and National Coordinator of Maritime Education and Training in November 2015.  He is the Founding Dean of the Loeb-Sullivan School of International Business and Logistics at the Maine Maritime Academy, Castine, Maine, where he is an Emeritus Professor. He was the 12th Chief Academic Officer at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), Kings Point, New York, where he also served three terms as the Interim Superintendent.   

Dr. Kumar earned his Ph.D. (in Maritime Economics) from the University of Wales, Cardiff, U.K., and served as Fulbright Senior Specialist to the Republic of Ireland in 2012. He has held visiting professorships at several universities both within and outside the United States, and his extensive list of publications include the last twenty-one years (2004-2024) of the U.S. Merchant Marine and World Maritime Review for the Naval Institute (USNI) Proceedings Annual Review edition, Econometric Analysis of the Ship Demolition Market (Marine Policy, 2008), and Globalization—The Maritime Nexus in the Handbook of Maritime Economics and Business, Ed. Grammenos (2002, 2010, 2024 scheduled, LLP, London, UK).

Dr. Kumar began his professional career as a merchant mariner and held the license to command commercial ships of any size in any ocean.  He has received numerous commendations for his outstanding leadership and contributions in Federal and State civil service as well as in higher education. His current portfolio of responsibilities within MARAD include maritime labor, education, and training.