The National Association of Waterfront Employers (NAWE) said that John Young has joined the association as the new vice president of government affairs.

Young brings to NAWE more than 20 years of experience in Washington, D.C., primarily focused on supply chain, infrastructure, and maritime issues. He has served as a senior staffer on Capitol Hill, represented private and public organizations as a lobbyist, been a lead advocate for an international maritime organization and served as counsel and advisor for a Senate-confirmed commissioner of the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC).

As a Capitol Hill veteran, Young served as the legislative director for two members of Congress, setting policy agendas, directing staff, executing activities and initiatives both in congressional districts as well as Washington, D.C. In the private sector, Young helped build out current maritime and port policies as well as funding programs, developing a “State of Freight” series report that provided a narrative on port landside and security needs.

Young also worked at the FMC under NAWE president Carl Bentzel during Bentzel's tenure as FMC Commissioner at the height of the pandemic. During this time, Young worked with terminals and their customers to address a myriad of shipping issues such as port congestion, equipment displacement, and the passage and implementation of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022.