Ingram Barge Company named to EPA SmartWay Program

NASHVILLE, TN  Ingram Barge Company has been named as one of the first marine transportation companies to be accepted as a partner in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency¹s SmartWay Program.  The announcement was made by Craig E. Philip, CEO of Ingram Barge Company.
“It gives me great pleasure and pride to know that Ingram has been recognized and accepted into the EPA’s SmartWay Program as one of the first marine transportation companies,” Mr. Philip said. “At Ingram, we’ve been fully engaged with a company-wide sustainability program, as well as creating our own unique green initiatives.  This is an honor and a privilege for us to improve the environment and help the EPA create a division of the program specifically for marine transportation.”
The EPA program, launched in 2004, was created to identify products and services that reduce transportation related emissions.  The program quickly spread to partnerships with government, businesses and consumers  all resulting in measurable air-quality improvements or greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions.
The program includes a division for transportation  but previously not a marine transportation division.  Ingram Barge Company is one of the first accepted into the program, which requires measuring the environmental performance of a fleet, identifying goals for improving environmental performance within three years, submitting an action plan to the EPA within six months of agreement to participate, and reporting progress to the EPA annually.
“Ingram is proud to be on the cutting edge of developing new policies and procedures for marine transportation companies as they relate to the environmental issues at hand,” Mr. Philip added.  “Barge transport is already the greenest mode of bulk freight transport, and we will continue to do all that we can to take care of our environment and our associates.”
ABOUT INGRAM MARINE GROUP
Ingram Marine Group includes three primary operating units:  Ingram Barge Company, Ingram Materials Company, and Custom Fuel Services.  Ingram Barge Company is the leading carrier on America’s inland waterways.  Ingram operates a fleet of more than 100 line haul towboats and nearly 4,000 barges that transport coal, aggregates, grain, fertilizer, ores, alloys, steel products and chemicals. Ingram Materials operates a sand and gravel dredging and distribution enterprise serving Tennessee markets.  Custom Fuel Services operates 11 floating fueling stations on the Mississippi and Ohio River Systems and provides marine fuels, lubricants, and other miscellaneous services to towboats, barges, stevedoring rigs, and ships.  In addition, Ingram operates a ship anchorage in Louisiana and a bulk commodities terminal in Florida.  For more information, visit the website www.ingrambarge.com
By Professional Mariner Staff