Norfolk Southern Corporation (NS), on May 12, 2015, announced that 66 of its customers have been awarded the 2014 Thoroughbred Chemical Safety Award for altogether safely shipping more than 227,000 carloads of hazardous chemical products over the railroad’s network last year.
For the past 19 years, NS has recognized chemical manufacturers and plants that ship at least 1,000 carloads of hazardous products over the railroad without a single incident. In 2014, 61 companies that shipped nearly 214,000 carloads and five pants that shipped more than 23,700 carloads met the standard.
Carload shipments included industrial chemicals used in the manufacture of various consumer goods, crude petroleum, ethanol and fertilizers. These chemicals are vital components of the U.S. economy but are classified as federally regulated hazardous materials and could be dangerous if mishandles, the company said.
NS works closely with chemical customers to ensure these commodities reach their destination safely, including providing training in safe rail-shipping practices.
“These valued business partners share NS’ commitment to safety for our employees, the communities we serve and the environment,” said NS CEO Wick Moorman. “Their behind-the scenes efforts typically go unheralded, but they help us demonstrate every day that rail transportation is safe, reliable and the most environmentally friendly way to move commercial goods. We congratulate them for their industry-leading performance.”
Customers earning NS’ Thoroughbred Chemical Safety Award for 2014 are: Abengoa Bioenergy of Illinois, Granite City, Ill., plant; Altex Energy Ltd.; Apex Terminal; ArcelorMittal USA; Aux Sable Liquid Products Inc.; Axeon Specialty Products LLC; BASF Corporation; Bayer MaterialScience LLC; BP Products North America; Bridger Trading LLC; Buckeye Partners, L.P.; Cargill, Inc.; Centennial Energy LLC; Crestwood Equity Partners LP; Delaware City Refining LLC, Reybold, Del., plant; The Dow Chemical Company; Eastman Chemical, Kingsport, Tenn., plant; Eighty-Eight Oil LLC; ERCO Worldwide; ExxonMobil Chemical Company; Finnchem USA Inc.; Formosa Plastics Corporation, U.S.A.; Gibson Gas Liquids; Global Companies, LLC; Great Northern Gathering & Marketing; Green Plains Renewable Energy; Honeywell International, Inc.; Huntsman Corporation; Lima Refining Company (Husky); Indorama Ventures Oxide & Glycols; Ineos USA LLC; Kemira Water Solutions Inc.; Kinder Morgan Terminals; Koppers Inc; Linde, LLC; Marathon Petroleum Company LP; MarkWest Energy Partners, L.P.; Mercuria Commodities Canada Corporation; Mitsubishi Gas Chemical America, Inc.; NGL Supply Wholesale, LLC; Norfalco LLC; NOVA Chemicals Corporation; Nucor Corp ;Occidental Chemical Corp; Olin Chlor Alkali Logistics, Inc.; One Earth Energy LLC; Paulsboro Refining Company, Paulsboro, N.J., plant; Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan; Plains Marketing, L.P.; Procter & Gamble Co.; PVS Chemicals, Inc.; Reagent Chemical & Research, Inc.; Renewable Products Marketing Group; SECURE Energy Services; Shell Trading Canada; Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy, LLC; Statoil Marketing & Trading US Inc.; Sunbelt Chlor Alkali Partnership; Sunoco Logistics; The International Group Inc.; TransMontaigne Product Services Inc.; Toledo Refining Company LLC, Toledo, Ohio, plant; United Energy Trading, LLC; United Refining Company; Valero Energy Corporation; and Vopak Terminal Savannah.