Karrie Trauth

Karrie has a diverse career of over 30 years in the shipping industry. She is currently the Executive Vice President of Shipping and Maritime after serving as Senior Vice President of that same business. Karrie has been responsible for Shell’s international shipping and maritime activities, including ships, barges, drilling units, floating production facilities and related operations. Her work spans Shell’s entire business across upstream, downstream, projects and construction. She is a leading spokesperson on safety and the environment, improving the efficiency of shipping and maritime operations, and driving technology and innovation, including digitalisation and decarbonisation. She is also a passionate advocate and champion of DEI and creating an integrated culture of inclusion in Shell, and beyond.

Karrie joined Shell Shipping & Maritime in 2012, initially as a project manager, followed by GM of their Global Technology and Innovation Group and then GM with responsibility for the Americas Region.

Karrie began her career as a Surface Warfare Officer in the US Navy, serving as one of the first group of women assigned in combat ships. After completing her naval service, she joined Avondale Shipyard in New Orleans as the Engineering Manager for R&D, beginning a career in ship design and construction and ultimately had responsibility for running a shipyard, delivering for the US Navy Zumwalt class destroyers.

Karrie was elected President of the UK Chamber of Shipping in March 2026, becoming only the second woman to hold the position in the Chamber’s nearly 150-year history. She is an Advisory Council Member of the American Bureau of Shipping, Chair of the Blue Sky Maritime Coalition, and an Advisory Board Member of Lloyd’s Register. She is also an ExCom member of OCIMF and sits on the Marine Board of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. She is a former Director of the Greater Houston Port Bureau, SIGTTO, and the UK P&I Club.

Karrie has been honored by both the UK Everywoman program and the Society of Women Engineers for her efforts to increase gender balance in STEM fields and her contributions to technology, innovation, and design.

Born in the US, Karrie holds Bachelors and Masters engineering degrees from MIT, and an MBA from Georgetown University. She is living in London with her wife Angela and can often be found hiking, exploring, or on her road bike.