NORFOLK, Va., April 5, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Norfolk Southern (NYSE: NSC) has awarded 60 chemical customers its Thoroughbred Chemical Safety Award for 2015. The companies safely transported on Norfolk Southern's rail lines 224,660 carloads of chemical product that the federal government regulates as hazardous.

Norfolk Southern developed the safety award 20 years ago to recognize customers for their safe handling of chemical shipments. The award goes to chemical manufacturers and plants that ship at least 1,000 carloads of hazardous products over the railroad without a single incident for the year.

"We congratulate these valued business partners for their industry-leading safety performance," said Alan Shaw, executive vice president and chief marketing officer. "Through their commitment to safe shipping practices, they ensure the well-being of rail and chemical industry employees, the communities that our companies serve, and the environment. They help us demonstrate daily to our stakeholders that rail is the safe, reliable, and environmentally friendly choice to ship chemical products."

In 2015, 55 companies shipping 213,150 carloads and five plants handling 11,510 carloads achieved the standard. Of particular note are four customers that, collectively, safely shipped nearly 88,000 carloads: MarkWest Energy Partners L.P.; Olin Chlor Alkali Logistics Inc.; Bridger Logistics LLC; and Buckeye Partners LP.

Transported primarily in customer-owned or leased tank cars, the regulated products include crude petroleum, ethanol, fertilizers, and industrial chemicals used to manufacture consumer goods. While essential to U.S. businesses and households, they can be dangerous if mishandled during transport.

Norfolk Southern works closely with chemical customers, including providing on-site training in safe rail-shipping practices, to ensure these commodities reach their destination safely.

Customers receiving the Thoroughbred Chemical Safety Award for safe shipping in 2015 are:

Abengoa Bioenergy; Altex Energy Ltd.; Apex Terminal; ArcelorMittal USA; Axeon Specialty Products LLC; Axiall Corp.;

BASF Corp.; Bridger Logistics LLC; Buckeye Partners L.P.;

Cargill Inc.; CF Industries; Chemtrade Logistics Inc.; Covestro LLC;

Delaware City Refining LLC, Reybold, Del., plant;

Eastman Chemical, Kingsport, Tenn., plant; Elbow River Marketing Ltd.; ERCO Worldwide; ExxonMobil Chemical Co.;

Flint Hill Resources LP; Formosa Plastics Corp., U.S.A.;

Granite Falls Energy LLC; Green Plains Inc.;

Hunt Refining Co. Inc.; Lima Refining Co. (Husky); INVISTA S.à r.l.;

Kemira Chemicals Inc.; Kemira Water Solutions Inc.; Kinder Morgan Terminals;

Linde LLC; Louis Dreyfus Commodities;

Marathon Petroleum Co. LP; MarkWest Energy Partners L.P.; Mercuria Commodities Canada Corp.; Midwest Terminals of Toledo;

NorFalco Sales Inc.; NOVA Chemicals Corp.; Nucor Corp;

Occidental Chemical Corp; Olin Chlor Alkali Logistics Inc.; One Earth Energy LLC;

Pacific Ethanol Pekin; Paulsboro Refining Co., Paulsboro, N.J., plant; PCS Phosphate, Lee Creek, N.C. plant; Phillips 66, Roxana, Ill., plant; Plains Marketing L.P.; Plains Marketing Van Hook Crude Terminal; POET Ethanol Products; Procter & Gamble Co.

Renewable Products Marketing Group; Shell Canada Ltd.; Shell Trading Canada; Siouxland Energy & Livestock Cooperative; Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy LLC; Sunbelt Chlor Alkali Partnership; Sunoco Partners Marketing & Terminals;

The International Group Inc.; United Energy Trading LLC; United Refining Co.;

Valero Energy Corp.; and Vopak Terminal Savannah.

About Norfolk Southern 
Norfolk Southern Corporation(NYSE: NSC) is one of the nation's premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway Company subsidiary operates approximately 20,000 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern United States, and provides efficient connections to other rail carriers. Norfolk Southern operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is a major transporter of coal, automotive, and industrial products.

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SOURCE Norfolk Southern Corporation