Pandemic Information & Resources for the Towing Industry

AWO is committed to providing resources for you as your companies, our industry and our country navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. This means ensuring you have access to critical health and safety information and official government and public health guidance to enable informed decision making as the COVID-19 challenge progresses and evolves. The resources linked on this website can help you take steps to protect vessel crewmembers and other employees from COVID-19 and respond to suspected cases of COVID-19 as you work to move maritime commerce safely and steadily in support of our national economy.

AWO hosts a member forum on the third Thursday of every month at 2 p.m. ET to provide members an opportunity to speak with fellow AWO members about COVID-19 prevention and response strategies. Regular reminder emails will be sent with the connection information. If you’ve missed those reminders, please email safety@americanwaterways.com for the meeting information.

Advocacy Letters

4/13/21 AWO Congressional Champions to CDC, DOT Re: Mariner and Port Worker Vaccination Priority
1/28/21 Federal Maritime Commission to President Biden Re: Maritime Workforce Vaccination Priority
1/18/21 Transportation Infrastructure Coalition Letter to State Governors Re: Prioritized Vaccine Distribution for Essential Transportation Workforce
1/15/21 Maritime Industry Coalition Letter to 26 State Governors Re: Prioritized Vaccine Distribution for Mariners and Frontline Maritime Transportation Workers
12/9/20 Coalition Letter to Senate Committee Leadership on Prioritized Vaccine Distribution for Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers
9/10/20 Congressional Letter to DHS and CDC Re: COVID-19 Testing Access for Essential U.S. Mariners

Resources

List of Situations in which Mask-Wearing May Create Risks
COVID-19 Contingency Planning Guide for Towing Vessel and Barge Operators, Version 2.0
COVID-19 Prevention Best Practices for Off-Duty Mariners
Sample Protocols and Procedures
- Vessel Disembarkation for the planned assessment, actions, and reporting for a suspected COVID-19 illness of a crewmember
- Vessel Decontamination for when presumed COVID-19 infected crew are still berthed and post-disembarkation from the vessel
Template Company Letters (reproducable on company letterhead)
- Identify marine towing employees as essential critical infrastructure personnel
- Spanish Version: Identify marine towing employees as essential critical infrastructure personnel
AWO Webinars
AWO RCP Standards Board Memoranda
- REVISED July 23, 2020: RCP/TSMS External Audit Extension Requests Due to COVID-19
- REVISED July 30, 2020: RCP/TSMS Internal Audit Extension Requests Due to COVID-19

This page will be updated as new information becomes available. If you see out-of-date information or wish to see additional resources added to this webpage, please email safety@americanwaterways.com.