For 18 years, the Drew Foss, a tugboat operated by the Foss Maritime Company, has been free of environmental mishap. So have the Arthur Foss, the Justine Foss and a dozen other Foss vessels. In fact, 59 vessels owned by the Seattle-based Foss are being recognized by a major maritime organization for their standout environmental safety records.
Altogether, the Foss vessels feted by CSA have gone a combined 551 years without an environmental incident.
"When we talk with our customers, their first concern is safety and the environment," said Gary Faber, the company's president and COO. "These are the cornerstones of Foss' corporate culture. To be honored by the Chamber of Shipping for our environmental record is something that underscores all our efforts at Foss."
Foss was honored by the CSA at a dinner ceremony in Washington, D.C., with the awards presented by Maritime Administrator, David T. Matsuda and Rear Admiral Brian Salerno, Deputy Commandant for Operations, U.S. Coast Guard and Michael Bohlman, Chairman of CSA. Capt. Jonathan Wood, skipper of the Volans, accepted awards on behalf of Foss.
Joseph J. Cox, President and CEO of CSA said, "These awards celebrate the dedication to environmental excellence of our seafarers and the company personnel shore-side who operate our vessels to the highest standards. In today's world, it seems our industry only gets front-page news when spills or other environmental problems occur. It is encouraging to see how many vessels go for years achieving environmental excellence. It should be clear to the American public that we in the maritime industry take our stewardship of the marine environment very seriously."