The Department of Ecology (Ecology) has extended its contract agreement with Crowley Maritime Corporation to station a state-funded emergency response tug at Neah Bay for another full year of service beginning July 1, 2009, through June 30, 2010. Under the $3.6 million extension agreement, an emergency response tug will remain at Neah Bay to prevent disabled ships and barges from drifting onto rocks and causing oil spills in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Washington's outer coast. The contract marks the final year the state will pay for the emergency response tug service.

Crowley announced that work will begin on first nappy recycling plant next month after contractors were appointed for the £12 million scheme in Birmingham. Crowley has won the tender and it is hoped that it could be opened before the end of the year. The plant will be one of four planned for across the country by recycling experts Knowaste and will process 36,000 tonnes of nappies and incontinence products every year. Recycling will turn waste into plastic which can be used for building materials, such as roof tiles and cladding panels. Green energy will also be generated from sludge created by the process, which will be converted into methane.

Crowley Maritime Corp. made several leadership and organizational changes. Rinus Schepin, senior vice president and general manager of logistics, will be retiring in June 2009 after 20 years with Crowley. Steve Collar, senior vice president and general manager of technical services, will move into logistics January 1 and work with Schepin during the first half of the year. Collar originally joined Crowley in 1977 as a deckhand and has since worked in engineering, dispatch, terminal management and other operations. Jim Gillen became vice president of engineering of the company's petroleum services, marine services and petroleum distribution groups. Gillen joined Crowley in 1981 as an engineer trainee aboard a Crowley vessel. He has held other senior engineering positions including chief engineer and assistant port engineer, and most recently served as director of marine operations. Additionally, Todd Busch will be promoted to senior vice president and general manager of technical services. Busch, who joined the company in 1987 as a seaman, is currently vice president of Crowley subsidiary Titan Salvage.