Williamsville, NY, August 31, 2022 – American Steamship Company, a pioneer in Great Lakes marine transportation, is the first domestic ship owner headquartered in the State of New York to participate in Green Marine, the leading voluntary environmental certification program for North America’s maritime industry.
With a fleet of six self-unloading free-flowing dry bulk vessels operating on the Great Lakes, American Steamship Company strives to be recognized as a responsible corporate citizen by meeting the environmental needs of its customers, regulatory agencies, and local communities. This vision is reflected in American Steamship Company’s Community Partnerships Program (CPP), which aims to improve communities by proactively selecting, supporting, or developing programs that enhance the socio-economic viability of communities where the company has a significant presence.
"With more than 115 years of experience, American Steamship Company has responded to numerous changes in Great Lakes shipping,” noted Kevin P. McMonagle, American Steamship Company's President. “Today, we are committed to adapting our operations to minimize the environmental impact of our vessels and facilities. We firmly believe that Green Marine’s program will serve us well as a guiding framework to go beyond regulatory obligations to achieve the highest environmental standards.”
Green Marine's President David Bolduc was delighted to welcome American Steamship Company to the voluntary initiative. “By joining Green Marine, American Steamship Company is further strengthening its commitment to sustainability by choosing to benchmark its efforts, and have the results externally verified,” he said. “There are nearly 50 Green Marine participants operating on the Great Lakes that are committed to the program, and they will certainly benefit from American Steamship Company’s experience, and I hope, vice versa.”
To achieve Green Marine certification, American Steamship Company will assess its operating fleet’s environmental performance through key performance indicators that address such issues as greenhouse gases, ballast water discharge, air emissions, oily water, waste management, and ship recycling. The certification process is rigorous and transparent, with results independently verified every two years and each participant's performance made public annually.
American Steamship Company is a longstanding pioneer in Great Lakes vessel transportation. Founded in Buffalo, New York, in 1907, the company has witnessed and responded to dramatic changes in Great Lakes shipping and the industries it serves – many times leading the way with innovative solutions with positive impacts on the overall industry. Its Great Lakes fleet consists of six 1,000-foot self-unloading free-flowing dry bulk vessels capable of carrying up to 81,000 gross tons of cargo ranging from iron ore pellets to coal, to limestone. During the navigation season, the vessels operate 24/7 with the capacity to unload various cargo at rates of 7,000 to 10,000 net tons per hour.
Founded in 2007, Green Marine’s North American environmental certification program is celebrating its 15th year as a voluntary effort by the shipping industry to go beyond regulations. There are currently more than 170 ship owners, port authorities, terminal operators, and shipyard managers throughout Canada and the United States participating in the program. A pivotal element of Green Marine’s success from the outset has been the active support from environmental stakeholders, the scientific community, and governments. A significant number of the more than 90 Green Marine supporters take part in reviewing and shaping the environmental program. More details are available at www.green-marine.org.
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