The American Waterways Operators (AWO) has joined Green Marine as an association member to advance environmental stewardship in the US tugboat, towboat and barge industry.

AWO is the national advocate for the local tugboat, towboat and barge industry.

“This partnership will provide AWO more tools and resources to share with our members and help them excel in a world of evolving environmental expectations,” Jennifer A. Carpenter, AWO President & CEO, commented.

“We are very pleased to formalize an existing collaboration between AWO and Green Marine on defining environmental best practices,” David Bolduc, Green Marine Executive Director, said.

“Welcoming AWO as our 35th Association member is another step in a growing collaboration between our two organizations.”

Although AWO is a new member of Green Marine, the two have been collaborating for years. Green Marine’s Senior Program Manager Dr. Eleanor Kirtley has been serving on AWO’s Environmental Stewardship Working Group since its inception. The working group is surveying solutions to advance the environmental performance of the tugboat, towboat and barge industry in key environmental areas such as air and water quality, waste management, energy efficiency and corporate responsibility. These same issues are at the core of Green Marine’s voluntary environmental certification program.

Founded in 2007, Green Marine’s North American environmental certification program is the result of a voluntary effort by the shipping industry to go beyond regulations. There are currently 150 ship owners, port authorities, terminal and shipyard operators throughout Canada and the United States participate in the program.

Earlier this week, Green Marine welcomed another member when Integrated Logistics, a network of terminals providing cargo handling and stevedoring services in Newfoundland and Labrador, became the program’s participant.

Source: Offshore Energy