SAINT JOHN, April 23, 2014 /CNW/ – Irving Oil confirmed today that it has completed the conversion of its proprietary fleet of crude oil railcars to the Association of American Railroads’ (AAR) recommended specifications for DOT-111 railcars constructed after October 1, 2011. In February, Irving Oil announced it would voluntarily remove its older-model railcars from service no later than April 30, 2014.
The completion of the fleet upgrade supports Transport Canada’s announcement today on enhanced protection standards for rail cars, which stem from recommendations made in January by the Transportation Safety Board.
“We took the voluntary position of converting our proprietary fleet ahead of regulation after the Transportation Safety Board made a strong recommendation in January to do so,” says Paul Browning, President & CEO of Irving Oil. “We’re proud to announce that we’ve completed the task as promised – three years ahead of regulation. We look forward to continuing to work with suppliers and crude marketers to convert their railcars delivering to us no later than year end, and to lead our industry in ensuring the safe transportation of crude oil by rail.”
The AAR specifications recommend that DOT-111 railcars built after October 2011 be constructed with reinforcements and enhancements that have been reported to reduce the risk of product loss if these railcars are involved in derailments.
Irving Oil
Irving Oil is a privately owned, increasingly global energy and marketing company that provides Eastern Canada and New England with high-quality products and customer service. Founded in 1924 and based in Saint John, New Brunswick, the company operates Canada’s largest refinery, producing in excess of 320,000 barrels of finished products every day. In 2014, Irving Oil was presented with the Railed Chemical Safety Excellence Award by the CSX Corporation for demonstrating a high commitment to rail safety. For more information about Irving Oil, please visit www.irvingoil.com or facebook.com/irvingoil.
SOURCE Irving Oil
For further information: Sam Robinson, Public Affairs, Irving Oil, 506.650.4947, samantha.robinson@irvingoil.com