Exceptional Compliance Program News

101 Crowley Vessels Honored with Environmental Awards in Recognition of 984 Combined Years of Safe Operations. More than 100 Crowley Maritime Corporation-owned and -operated vessels were honored with Certificates of Environmental Achievement for years of safe operations during the recent 12th-annual Chamber of Shipping of America (CSA) awards ceremony, held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington D.C. Each of Crowley’s honored vessels received the certificates for having worked at least two consecutive years without an environmental incident.

Crowley Petroleum Services will be awarded the Exceptional Compliance Program (ECOPRO) award for excellence in marine safety and environmental stewardship from the Washington Department of Ecology  this Thursday at Odyssey Maritime Discovery Center in Seattle. Companies that apply for the ECOPRO certification are required to submit plans to the Washington Department of Ecology for approval. Their plans are valid for three years. Ecology vessel inspectors conduct ship audits to make sure the management system is being implemented and continues to meet or exceed state ECOPRO standards.

Crowley Maritime Corporation was recently recognized for its environmental stewardship by the Port of the Seattle and Seattle Propeller Club, which teamed up to present the company with its second-consecutive honorable mention award for Marine Environmental Business of the Year. The awards ceremony took place at the 60th Annual Maritime Festival Luncheon aboard Holland America's cruise ship Zaandam in Seattle. The event, attended by more than 500 people from the regional maritime industry, marked the culmination of Seattle's annual Maritime Festival.

Crowley Maritime Corporation was recently recognized for its environmental stewardship by the Port of the Seattle and Seattle Propeller Club, which teamed to present the company with its runner up award for Marine Environmental Business of the Year. The awards ceremony took place at the 59th Annual Maritime Festival Luncheon aboard the cruise ship Carnival Spirit in Seattle. The event, attended by more than 500 people from the regional maritime industry, marked the culmination of Seattle's annual Maritime Festival.

Polar Tankers Inc., a subsidiary of ConocoPhillips Co., has agreed to pay $588,000 to help compensate the public for environmental harm caused by the October 2004 crude oil spill into Puget Sound’s Dalco Passage near Tacoma. The payment would come under a proposed settlement agreement or consent decree filed this week in U.S. District Court, Western Washington Division involving Polar Tankers and the United States, state of Washington, Muckleshoot Indian Tribe and Puyallup Tribe of Indians. A consent decree in federal court makes no finding of guilt or innocence. The U.S. Attorney General’s action was made at the request of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S.

During the recent Workboat Show, Crowley was recognized for its environmental initiatives, receiving second place for the Environmental Management Plan Award. The company was also awarded a Significant Boat of 2009 Award for the Nachik/Sesok. The environmental award was developed to recognize businesses and government agencies operating in the U.S. maritime industry that have successfully incorporated environmentally sustainable practices into their operations. The awards committee was comprised of industry, environmental, regulatory and media representatives.

Representatives from Washington Department of Ecology and the oil tank vessel industry met in Seattle on July 29 to award Polar Tankers with Ecology’s Exceptional Compliance Program (ECOPRO) Award. The award was given to the subsidiary of ConocoPhillips Co. for achieving excellence in marine safety and environmental stewardship. Polar Tankers operates U.S.-flagged crude oil tankers on the West Coast including Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, Hawaii and Canada. Its five modern, Endeavour Class tankers are specifically designed to carry crude oil in an environmentally safe manner.

MTM The Washington State Department of Ecology issued a Press Release stating that it has awarded the Exceptional Compliance Program (Ecopro) award to M.T.M. Ship Management Private Ltd. of Singapore for excellence in marine safety and environmental stewardship.

Alaska Tanker Company, LLC (ATC) based in Beaverton (Portland), Oregon has achieved "Safety, Quality and Environmental (SQE) Certification" including Accredited International Standards Organization (ISO) 14001 Certification to the Environmental Management System Standard on November 21st, 2001. This accomplishment makes ATC the first U.S. flag seagoing Shipping Company to attain SQE and ISO 14001 Certification from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). This feat was achieved within 2 ½ years of ATC's inception. The attainment of Certification to the International Safety Management (ISM) Code as well as ISO 9001 (Quality Management System Standard) and ISO 14001 demonstrates the Company's commitment to be a World-Class tanker operator.

Island Tug and Barge Ltd. of Vancouver, B.C., received an award from the Washington Department of Ecology for excellence in marine safety and environmental stewardship. The Exceptional Compliance Program (Ecopro) Award will be presented to Island Tug and Barge at 10:30 a.m. at the Odyssey Maritime Discovery Center on Pier 66, 2205 Alaska Way, in Seattle. The award ceremony will be followed by a short reception, during which reporters may interview Ecology officials and company representatives. Tank-barge companies receive the Ecopro Award only if they meet or exceed all 26 of Ecology's marine-safety standards for tank barges. Island Tug and Barge is the fifth company to earn the award since the program began in 1999. This is the first tug-and-barge company to receive the award.

Island Tug and Barge Ltd. of Vancouver, B.C., received an award from the Washington Department of Ecology for excellence in marine safety and environmental stewardship. The Exceptional Compliance Program (Ecopro) Award was presented at the Odyssey Maritime Discovery Center on Pier 66, 2205 Alaska Way, in Seattle. Tank-barge companies receive the Ecopro Award only if they meet or exceed all 26 of Ecology's marine-safety standards for tank barges. Island Tug and Barge is the fifth company to earn the award since the program began in 1999. This is the first tug-and-barge company to receive the award. "Island Tug and Barge has demonstrated its commitment to the environment by voluntarily meeting our state's tough marine-safety standards," said Ecology Director Jay Manning.

In an age of increased environmental awareness, new commitments to reducing emissions and pollution in the air, Crowley has invested in engine modifications on its 10 tugboats dedicated to the Puerto Rico/Caribbean liner service and on its four tugs chartered to Trailer Bridge for their Puerto Rico barge service. Crowley makes four to five trips per week between the United States and Puerto Rico, which provide ample opportunity to test and perfect engine modifications, which have led to lower exhaust emissions and increased performance. Exhaust emissions take on a number of forms including visible smoke, particulate matter and nitrogen oxides (NOx). Crowley is working to reducing all three while achieving heightened performance with decreased fuel consumption.

Exxon Mobil Corporation announced that its U.S. marine transportation affiliate, SeaRiver Maritime, Inc., has been recognized by the Washington State Department of Ecology for excellence in marine safety and environmental stewardship. SeaRiver achieved this through meeting the state's voluntary Exceptional Compliance Program for Tank Vessels (Ecopro) and is the only company to attain full Ecopro status for a third consecutive renewal period since the program's inception in 1999. This honor acknowledges SeaRiver's achievement of high operating standards and environmental performance while operating in Washington state waters.

A division of Crowley Maritime Corp. received the Department of Ecology's (Ecology) highest award today for excellence in tank-vessel marine safety and environmental stewardship. The Exceptional Compliance Program (ECOPRO) Award recognizes Crowley's Marine Transport Corp. subsidiary for its fleet of four articulated tug barges (ATBs). A specially equipped tug locks into a notch in the double-hulled barge's stern to create a single, hinged vessel. The set-up reduces the chances of the barge breaking loose and spilling oil, and provides a higher overall level of safety, reliability and efficiency. The voluntary spill-prevention program for tanker and tank-barge fleets requires member companies to meet 26 marine safety standards, among the world's most stringent.