Page 16: of Marine News Magazine (November 2024)

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Column

Towboats, Tugs & Barges

AWO at 80:

Looking Back and Looking Forward on Safety,

Security & Sustainability

By Kelly Teichman, executive chairman of the T&T Group of Companies, and AWO chairman of the board;

Patrick Sutton, senior vice president of ? eet development and strategy for American Commercial Barge

Line, AWO vice chairman of the board

This year, AWO marks its 80th as vital as it has ever been. Over the past 80 years, led by anniversary as the tugboat, towboat and barge industry’s ad- member companies of all sizes operating in all regions of vocate, resource and united voice for safe, sustainable and the country and all sectors of the industry, AWO has built ef? cient transportation on America’s waterways, oceans and a strong foundation of steady and ongoing progress in coasts. As we celebrate this milestone, we not only recognize these areas, which positions us well to tackle the evolving and re? ect on 80 years of advocacy for our industry as a key safety, security and environmental priorities of the future.

driver of the U.S. economy, but also 80 years of vital work as a Our industry’s commitment to safety is rooted in our deter- safety and sustainability leader and security partner – protect- mination to build a culture of continuous improvement that ing mariners, communities and our waterways from harm. goes above and beyond regulatory requirements. That culture

At a time when the men and women of America’s es- led to the establishment of the Coast Guard- AWO Safety sential workforce, the resiliency and sustainability of the Partnership, now in its 29th year – a non-regulatory, data- global supply chain, and our nation’s intensifying geopo- driven, cooperative framework dedicated to advancing safety litical rivalry with China are top of mind for Americans, on the waterways. The partnership in turn laid the ground- marine transport’s role in ensuring safer, more sustainable work for Subchapter M, which raised the safety bar across our maritime commerce and a more secure United States is industry, and acknowledged important past progress by recog- © Matt Gush / Adobe Stock 16 | MN November 2024