NEW YORK, Nov. 13, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rand Logistics, Inc. (NASDAQ:RLOG) (“Rand”) has announced the Company will make a donation to Georgian College for the development of the new Marine Emergency Duties Training and Research Centre at the Owen Sound Campus in Ontario, Canada.
The centre will be used by Georgian students (cadets) enrolled in marine programs and by working mariners, many of whom are affiliated with Rand. The curriculum will include introductory and advanced courses in firefighting, survival craft, life raft and immersion suit training, and first aid. Marine Emergency Duties training is critical for the industry and for the safety and well-being of Rand employees.
“Rand recognizes that the growth of our Company is dependent on the quality of our team members. Georgian College is one of several critical partners in our mission to develop and train our future leaders. Programs such as those taught at the Marine Emergency Duties Training Center are at the core of our philosophy of providing our customers with the safest and most reliable service of any carrier on the Great Lakes," said Ed Levy, President and CEO of Rand.
“With the generous support of organizations like Rand Logistics, we are building the most sophisticated marine emergency training facility in the country. Our students, alumni, industry and community partners all stand to benefit from this investment in these exceptional facilities that will ensure the future success of the Great Lakes shipping industry,” said Georgian President and CEO MaryLynn West-Moynes.
The province has been without a Marine Emergency Duties training centre since 2013. This new facility will enhance Georgian College’s marine program, will help to fill approximately 1,300 jobs in the industry over the coming years and will support the mandatory emergency training requirements of industry professionals in the Great Lakes Region and beyond.
“Rand is a leader in our Great Lakes shipping industry, one with a dedication to safety. We look forward to our continued partnership with Rand through our marine diploma programs and through the continuing education of the company’s working mariners,” Ms. West-Moynes continued.
“The addition of this centre at Georgian’s Owen Sound Campus ensures we have a one‐stop shop for quality marine programs and training in Ontario. Much of the training to be offered is mandatory for everyone who works aboard our ships and must be renewed every five years. Our company is proud to participate in this important project that aligns to our commitment to safety, our employees, our customers and operational excellence while addressing our industry’s needs today and into the future,” said Scott Bravener, President of Lower Lakes Towing and Grand River Navigation, both subsidiaries of Rand.
Construction on the centre has started and it is scheduled to be completed by September 2016.
About Rand Logistics
Rand Logistics, Inc. is a leading provider of bulk freight shipping services throughout the Great Lakes region. Through its subsidiaries, the Company operates a fleet of four conventional bulk carriers and twelve self-unloading bulk carriers including three tug/barge units. The Company is the only carrier able to offer significant domestic port-to-port services in both Canada and the U.S. on the Great Lakes. The Company's vessels operate under the U.S. Jones Act – which reserves domestic waterborne commerce to vessels that are U.S. owned, built and crewed, – and the Canada Coasting Trade Act – which reserves domestic waterborne commerce to Canadian registered and crewed vessels that operate between Canadian ports.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. For all forward-looking statements, we claim the protection of the Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which cannot be predicted with accuracy or are otherwise beyond our control and some of which might not even be anticipated. Future events and actual results, affecting our strategic plan as well as our financial position, results of operations and cash flows, could differ materially from those described in or contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that contribute to such risks include, but are not limited to, the effect of the economic downturn in certain of our markets; the weather conditions on the Great Lakes; and our ability to maintain and replace our vessels as they age.
For a more detailed description of these uncertainties and other factors, please see the "Risk Factors" section in Rand's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 11, 2015.