(STAMFORD, Conn.) — Michael Tusiani has been named the recipient of the Connecticut Maritime Association (CMA) Commodore Award for 2024.
Tusiani has earned his place among esteemed leaders in the maritime industry, joining a select group of influential figures to receive the CMA Commodore Award.
The traditional “passing of the hat” will take place during the Commodore Gala Dinner on Thursday, March 14, which will also mark the end of the 39th edition of CMA Shipping.
Tusiani began his career in shipping in 1970 as an economist for Naess Shipping Co. After it was acquired in 1973, he joined Poten & Partners, a small tanker brokerage firm established in 1938. He was made responsible for the company’s diversification efforts.
In his first 10 years there, Tusiani developed new departments: oil and gas commodity brokerage; LNG, LPG, chemical gases ship brokerage; offshore brokerage; financial services; and oil and gas consulting. During this same period, he acquired sole ownership of the company.
In 1983, Tusiani was named chairman and chief executive officer. In 2007, he sold the company to its employees under an employee stock option plan (ESOP) but continued as CEO until 2016. He is currently chairman emeritus and remains active as a consultant.
Tusiani serves on several boards of trustees/advisers: New York Presbyterian Hospital; Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs; Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy; and Massachusetts Maritime Academy. He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
He has written numerous articles on energy and shipping matters and authored or co-authored six books: “The Petroleum Shipping Industry: A Nontechnical Overview” (PennWell, 1996); “The Petroleum Shipping Industry: Operations and Practices” (PennWell, 1996); “LNG: A Nontechnical Guide” (PennWell, 2007); “LNG: Fuel for a Changing World: A Nontechnical Guide” (PennWell, 2016); “LNG: After the Pandemic” (PennWell, 2023); and “From Black Gold to Frozen Gas: How Qatar Became an Energy Superpower” (Columbia University Press, 2023).
Tusiani received a bachelor of arts degree from Long Island University and a master’s degree in economics from Fordham University.
– Connecticut Maritime Association
