Environmental Excellence

Holland America Line Wins USCG Eco Award

Holland America Line receives second Benkert Award for its marine environmental initiatives as U.S. Coast Guard award recognizes line's fleetwide efforts  At a recent ceremony, Holland America Line was presented a gold 2012 Rear Admiral William M. Benkert Environmental Protection Award from the U.S. Coast Guard in recognition of the line's environmental leadership and for successfully achieving several environmental objectives established by the company that exceed standard regulation. U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Robert Papp presented the award to Michael Inman, director, system management and program development, Safety and Environmental Management Systems for Holland America Line. The company first received the biennial award in 2010. The U.S. Coast Guard Benkert Award was bestowed by a panel of experts based on a thorough review of the line's comprehensive approach to environmental stewardship. Besides the prestige associated with the Benkert Award, the award application process offers a venue for the creative exchange of ideas and innovations, and heightens awareness and underscores the innovation required to achieve environmental excellence. The Benkert Award objectives include:     •    Improving the environmental performance and overall quality of marine transportation–related companies through a detailed self-assessment process against award standards.

Foss Maritime Environmental Milestone

Foss Maritime has earned the ISO 14001 environmental certification to use as a blueprint to achieve its "zero trace" corporate goal. With its new certification, Foss' entire marine division, both shoreside and marine has publicly committed to sound environmental practices and continual improvement, bringing in outside auditors to certify their safety, quality and environmental (SQE) processes. The SQE audit, which incorporates ISO 14001

NASSCO Delivers First of ORCA Class

National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, (NASSCO) has delivered the M. V. Midnight Sun to Totem Ocean Trailer Express, Inc. (TOTE). The Midnight Sun is the first commercial dry cargo vessel to be built in the United States in 10 years and the first of two new Orca-class trailerships being built by NASSCO for TOTE's service from Tacoma, Washington, to Anchorage, Alaska. The M. V. Midnight Sun and its sister ship, the M. V. North Star, are 840 x 118-ft. (256 x 35

MarAd Launches Green Initiatives

The Maritime Administration has launched several new initiatives that place the agency in the vanguard of federal organizations implementing policies stressing responsible environmental stewardship.n announcing these initiatives, Maritime Administrator Sean T. Connaughton said, “While environmental regulation and enforcement play a significant role, government--and the Maritime Administration in particular--must lead the way in promoting sound environmental stewardship within the

Evergreen Group Orders Ten 8000 TEU vessels

Evergreen Group has placed orders with Samsung Heavy Industries Co., Ltd in Taipei for ten 8,000-TEU L-class environmentally advanced container vessels. The first vessel is due for delivery in 2012 and will join Evergreen Line global containership fleet. Six of the new vessels will be built for Evergreen Marine Corporation and four for Evergreen International S.A. (Panama). The ships are being built at a cost of $103m each

Naming Ceremony Held in Korea for Ever Leader

Evergreen's Eighth New 8,452-TEU Ship Christened. Ever Leader, the eighth L-type containership of Evergreen Line, was christened by Bronson Hsieh, the Evergreen Group's Second Vice Group Chairman, at the Samsung Heavy Industries shipyard today. The ceremonial rope cutting for the new 8,452-TEU vessel was performed by Mrs. Sook-Je Lee in a ceremony attended by dignitaries from Taiwan and abroad.   Ever Leader is owned by Evergreen Marine (Singapore) Pte Ltd

M.V. Midnight Sun Embarks on Maiden Voyage

Totem Ocean Trailer Express, Inc. (TOTE), introduced the first of two new vessels, the M. V. Midnight Sun, into the Port of Tacoma, Washington to Port of Anchorage, Alaska trade route, departing Tacoma, Washington at 3:00 A. M. on Wednesday, April 23. Midnight Sun is scheduled to arrive at the Port of Anchorage at approximately 2:00 A. M. on Saturday, April 26. It is the first Orca Class roll-on/roll-off trailer ship TOTE has commissioned for service from Tacoma, Washington to Anchorage

NASSCO and TOTE Christen the M. V. Midnight Sun

National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) has joined with Totem Ocean Trailer Express, Inc. (TOTE) to christen the M. V. Midnight Sun, the first commercial dry cargo vessel to be built in the United States in 10 years. The Midnight Sun is the first of two new Orca-class trailerships being built by NASSCO for TOTE's service from Tacoma, Washington, to Anchorage, Alaska. Lynn Garvey, wife of Mike Garvey, Chairman of the Board of TOTE's parent company, Saltchuk Resources, Inc

AWO Members Win Benkert Award

The USCG has honored AWO members Crowley Marine Services, Inc. and Southern Towing Company with the William M. Benkert Award for excellence in marine environmental protection. Benkert Awards for the year 2000 competition were presented in four categories: large and small vessel operating companies, and large and small marine facility operators. AWO member Crowley Marine Services, Inc., headquartered in Seattle, won the large vessel category

GL: Five Stars for Ernst Russ

The shipping company Ernst Russ strives continuously for the highest quality, safety and environmental standards in shipping; in recognition of this it has now been awarded the "GL Excellence - 5 Stars" certificate by classification society Germanischer Lloyd (GL).   Ernst Russ Managing Director Mr Stefan Bülow and Mr Jan Stahmer, Health, Safety, Environment und Quality Manager, were presented with the firm's certificate by GL this week