USA: Foss Wins CSA’s Award for Environmental Achievements

Sixty vessels owned by the Seattle-based Foss Maritime Company are being recognized by a major maritime organization for their standout environmental records.

The Chamber of Shipping of America (CSA) announced the awards honoring Foss’ environmental achievements Thursday, November 17 in Washington, D.C.

“Safety and the environment are the first things that our customers bring up when we talk with them,” said Gary Faber, Foss’s president and COO. “To be honored by the Chamber of Shipping for our environmental record is something that underscores all our efforts at Foss. It is part of our corporate culture.”

U.S. Coast Guard Vice Admiral Brian Salerno, Deputy Commandant for Operations, participated in the awards ceremony and congratulated the industry’s safety and environmental record.

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.”

About Foss Maritime Company

Founded in 1889, Seattle-based Foss Maritime offers a complete range of maritime services and project management to customers across the Pacific Rim, Europe, South America and around the globe. The company has harbor services and transportation operations in all major U.S. West Coast ports, including the Columbia and Snake River system. With one of the largest fleets of tugs and barges on the American West Coast, Foss operates two shipyards and offers worldwide marine transportation, emphasizing safety, environmental responsibility and high-quality service.

About the Chamber of Shipping of America

The Chamber of Shipping of America represents 30 U.S. based companies that either own, operate or charter oceangoing tankers, container ships, dry bulk vessels engaged in both the domestic and international trades and companies that maintain a commercial interest in the operation of such oceangoing vessels. Current members include companies that own or operate U.S. flag or foreign-flag ships. A company owning or operating only foreign-flag tonnage must have an office in the United States to qualify for membership.

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World Maritime News Staff, November 24, 2011; Image: Foss