NORFOLK, Va., May 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Sixty-six chemical customers have earned Norfolk Southern Corporation's (NYSE: NSC) Thoroughbred Chemical Safety Award for 2014. Altogether, the customers safely shipped more than 227,000 carloads of hazardous chemical products over the railroad's network in 2014.

For the past 19 years, Norfolk Southern 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 shipping nearly 214,000 carloads and five plants shipping more than 13,700 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 mishandled.

Norfolk Southern 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 Norfolk Southern's commitment to safety for our employees, the communities we serve, and the environment," said Norfolk Southern 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 the Thoroughbred Chemical Safety Award for 2014 are, alphabetically:

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.

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