Rich Roche is a graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Nautical Science and Marine Transportation. Rich is uniquely qualified in the maritime industry, having held licenses as a New York State Property and Casualty Broker; Chief Mate, Oceans; Master of Pilot Vessels of any gross tons; and First Class Pilot on the Upper Bay of New York Harbor. His extensive career in the logistics industry has shaped him into an expert in cargo claims, shipper’s interest insurance, carrier contracting, and overseas agent management.
In 2001, he founded Diplomat Global Logistics, a freight forwarding company that was sold to Mohawk Global Logistics in 2009. Rich has appeared as an expert witness on several occasions, including a multinational arbitration involving a top-tier accounting firm, as well as other maritime cases. He served in a leadership role during his four-year tenure on the National Shippers Advisory Committee (NSAC) to the Federal Maritime Commission.
He currently serves as Chairman of the NVOCC Committee for the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA), where he works closely with top industry representatives, the FMC, and Congress on NVOCC regulations, including the Ocean Shipping Reform Act (OSRA). Rich has also been admitted as a Non-Attorney Practitioner before the FMC and has become a national spokesman on demurrage and detention reform and dispute resolution. Today, Rich is Senior Vice President at Mohawk Global.