US Barge Industry praises phaseout of single-hulled vessels

The American Waterways Operators (AWO), the national trade association for the tugboat, towboat and barge industry that represents a large majority of the nation’s tank barge owners, hailed the
January 1, 2015 phaseout of single-hulled tank vessels as a public policy success that has produced significant environmental benefits. As required by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, all vessels transporting oil in bulk as cargo in the waters of the United States must be outfitted with a full double hull that meets U.S. Coast Guard-specified standards.

”The transition to an all-double-hull fleet, combined with a comprehensive federal regulatory regime for oil spill prevention, response and liability and the adoption by vessel owners of safety management systems, vendor vetting programs and other safety measures, has produced dramatic, positive results for the American public. Oil spills from tank barges have plummeted by 99.6 percent since enactment of OPA 90. This outstanding safety record is all the more relevant today given the nation’s energy renaissance and the vastly increased need for marine transportation of crude oil and petroleum products,” said Thomas A. Allegretti, AWO President & CEO.