Tug Company Honored

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. "Our company roots go back 50 years, and that doesn't happen if you are not committed to safety and the environment," said Robert Shields, president of Island Tug and Barge. "We handle a great deal of the marine petroleum transportation requirements for Western Canada, and that work requires a very high level of management oversight and crew training."