LAKE CHARLES, La., Aug. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Yesterday, The American Waterways Operators' Tankering & Barge Operations Subcommittee presented AWO affiliate member CITGO Petroleum Corporation's Lake Charles, La. Marine Department and facility with the subcommittee's inaugural safety award. The Department received this award in recognition of its industry-leading commitment to workplace safety, demonstrated by its requirement that the dock operator be present while someone is transiting the gangway from the facility to a vessel. This practice ensures the safety the individual utilizing the gangway through close visual observation.

The award was presented virtually to accommodate COVID-19 safety precautions in place at CITGO and across the tugboat, towboat and barge industry. Representatives on hand for the presentation included, among others:

• Carlos Jordá, President & CEO, CITGO Petroleum Corporation;
• Jennifer Carpenter, President & CEO, American Waterways Operators;
• Matt Lagarde, Assistant Vice President, Ingram Barge Company and Chairperson, AWO Interregion Safety Committee; and
• Jim Fletcher, Owner/President, Team Services, LLC and Chairperson, AWO Tankering & Barge Operations Subcommittee. 

The video of the award presentation can be found here.

"All of us at CITGO are extremely proud to be named the inaugural recipient of AWO's safety award," said CITGO President and CEO Carlos Jordá. "Safety is our top priority, and this prestigious award is a testament to the dedication and professionalism of the CITGO Lake Charles marine department."

AWO President & CEO Jennifer Carpenter stated: "AWO is proud of the work that the Tankering & Barge Operations Subcommittee is doing to raise awareness of best practices in maritime safety. The subcommittee has identified safe access/egress at the vessel-to-facility interface as a serious safety issue, and CITGO's Lake Charles Marine Department richly deserves this inaugural award for its leadership in this area and for its commitment to ensuring its facility is a safe work environment."

About American Waterways Operators:
The American Waterways Operators is the national trade association representing the tugboat, towboat and barge industry, which operates on the rivers, the Great Lakes, and along the coasts and in the harbors of the United States. Barge transportation serves the nation as the safest, most environmentally friendly and most economical mode of freight transportation. www.americanwaterways.com

About CITGO:
Headquartered in Houston, Texas, CITGO Petroleum Corporation is a recognized leader in the refining industry with a well-known brand. CITGO operates three refineries located in Corpus Christi, Texas; Lake Charles, La.; and Lemont, Ill., and wholly and/or jointly owns 48 terminals, ten pipelines and three lubricants blending and packaging plants. With approximately 3,400 employees and a combined crude capacity of approximately 769,000 barrels-per-day (bpd), CITGO is ranked as the sixth-largest, and one of the most complex independent refiners in the United States. CITGO transports and markets transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products and supplies a network of approximately 4,700 locally owned and operated branded retail outlets in 30 states and the District of Columbia. CITGO Petroleum Corporation is owned by CITGO Holding, Inc. For more information, visit www.CITGO.com.