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April 27, 2026
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Download official Senate Record PDFReturn to issue contextMs. COLLINS. Mr. President, on May 2, 2026, Maine Maritime Academy bestows an honorary degree upon Dr. James S. C. Chao in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to global shipping, education, and public service. Dr. Chao's lifelong commitment to maritime commerce and leadership development has had a lasting impact on the industry and on generations of young professionals.
commencement is Dr. Chao's daughter, the Honorable Elaine Chao, who served our Nation with distinction as both Secretary of Labor and Secretary of Transportation. In that latter role, Secretary Chao was a champion of America's maritime academies that prepare the next generation of leaders for our Navy, Coast Guard, and maritime industry. When the new training vessel State of Maine was delivered in March of this year, I was proud to stand with Secretary Chao as cosponsor of that magnificent ship.
and the environment is a family tradition. Dr. Chao was born 99 years ago in a small, rural farming community in China. Despite the danger and privations of World War II and the Chinese Civil War, he excelled in his educational pursuits and became one of the youngest captains in the Chinese Merchant Marines. After being separated by the war, Dr. Chao searched relentlessly for the love of his life Ruth Mulan Chu and finally found her by chance in Taiwan. They were wed in 1951, beginning a marriage that lasted for 57 years until her passing in 2007.
In 1958, Dr. Chao achieved a record-high score on the Chinese Merchant Marine Master's Special Qualification Examination, which gave him the opportunity to continue his studies in the United States. Arriving in New York alone and with little money, he secured a low- paying job with a Chinese shipping company and, with persistence, eventually gained admission to graduate programs at Columbia University and St. John's University. Balancing his studies with three jobs, he finally was able to bring Ruth and their three children to America in 1961.
he founded his own company, Foremost Maritime Corporation. Among his early accomplishments was managing emergency food shipments during the wars in Vietnam and Bangladesh. Today, the company, now part of the Foremost Group, is global leader in international shipping, trading, and finance. Foremost Group is a leader in green technology in shipping, continuously upgrading its fleet with energy-saving devices, and building new ships with alternative fuel and carbon capture features.
carriers. For his outstanding contributions to the maritime industry, Dr. Chao was inducted into the International Maritime Hall of Fame at the United Nations. Among his many other honors are the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the Horatio Alger Award of Distinguished Americans at the U.S. Supreme Court, and an Outstanding American by Choice recognition by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Together, Dr. and Mrs. Chao devoted their business success to philanthropy, particularly in providing scholarships to deserving students. Since four of their daughters attended Harvard Business School, the couple endowed the Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Center as part of a $40 million gift to the university that also supports the Chao Family Fellowship Fund.
Dr. Chao credits his remarkable accomplishments to courage, determination, confidence, and trust. As our Nation celebrates its 250th anniversary, we do well to heed his words, as one who achieved the American dream: “I could not have had the same success anywhere else as I have in this country. In America, you don't need to have a connection or a certain background. All you need is to have a goal. After that, all you have to do is work hard and help others.”
to our shores and contribute so much. I congratulate Dr. James S.C. Chao on this recognition from Maine Maritime Academy and wish him all the best.