MERCK RECOMMENDED TO REPLACE HSU ON FMC

   U.S. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., have asked President Clinton to nominate Charleston maritime attorney Antony M. Merck, 55, to replace Ming Hsu on the Federal Maritime Commission.
   Lott noted that Merck "is strongly grounded in admiralty and maritime law."
   Merck has represented ship owners and protection and indemnity insurance
clients in litigation and matters involving personal injury, cargo damage,
charter disputes, bills of lading, contracts of carriage and affreightment,
immigration, collision and international commercial arbitration.
   Hsu has said she planned to retire from the FMC once the new shipping
reform act was implemented, and a replacement could be found for the
Republican seat on the commission. She was appointed to the FMC by
President Bush in 1990.