Horizon Lines conduct emergency exercise

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 15 (UPI) -- Horizon Lines Inc., in collaboration with emergency response personnel, has successfully completed a container ship firefighting exercise in Guam.

The North Carolina-based domestic ocean shipping company conducted the firefighting exercise in an initiative to test the emergency response readiness of the U.S. Coast Guard and local port authorities along with company crews.

Officials say the training exercise was part of a program to familiarize Horizon crews and shore-based emergency response personnel with the company's new Hunter Class vessels now operating in Guam.

The exercise, which included testing of the Hunter Class shipboard fire-extinguishing technologies, marked the first joint training for Horizon crews and local emergency response agencies.

"Our goal always is to have the best and the safest service to support our customers' needs," Hugh Healey, Horizon Lines general manager for Guam and Micronesia, said in a statement.

"There is no dedicated firefighting team or station at the port of Guam, so we rely on the expertise of the vessel crew and local firefighters. This is a great example of how we all can work together to combat a common safety challenge and be prepared together."