(8) Retirement Plans

The Company sponsors a defined benefit plan for its inland vessel personnel and shore based tankermen. The plan benefits are based on an employee’s years of service and compensation. The plan assets consist primarily of equity and fixed income securities.

The fair value of plan assets was $243,588,000 and $242,275,000 at December 31, 2015 and 2014 respectively. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, these assets were allocated among asset categories as follows:

Asset Category	2015			2014			Current Minimum, Target and Maximum Allocation Policy
U.S. equity securities		50	%		52	%		30% — 50%— 70	%
International equity securities		18	%		18	%		0% — 20%— 30	%
Debt securities		28	%		30	%		15% — 30%— 55	%
Cash and cash equivalents		4	%		—	%		0% — 0%— 5	%
		100	%		100	%

The plan assets are invested entirely in common collective trusts. These instruments are public investment vehicles valued using the net asset value provided by the administrator of the fund. The net asset value is classified within Level 2 of the valuation hierarchy as set forth in the accounting guidance for fair value measurements because the net asset value price is quoted on an inactive private market although the underlying investments are traded on an active market.

The Company’s investment strategy focuses on total return on invested assets (capital appreciation plus dividend and interest income). The primary objective in the investment management of assets is to achieve long-term growth of principal while avoiding excessive risk. Risk is managed through diversification of investments within and among asset classes, as well as by choosing securities that have an established trading and underlying operating history.

The Company makes various assumptions when determining defined benefit plan costs including, but not limited to, the current discount rate and the expected long-term return on plan assets. Discount rates are determined annually and are based on a yield curve that consists of a hypothetical portfolio of high quality corporate bonds with maturities matching the projected benefit cash flows. The Company assumed that plan assets would generate a long-term rate of return of 7.5% in 2015 and 2014. The Company developed its expected long-term rate of return assumption by evaluating input from investment consultants comparing historical returns for various asset classes with its actual and targeted plan investments. The Company believes that its long-term asset allocation, on average, will approximate the targeted allocation.

The Company’s pension plan funding strategy has historically been to contribute an amount equal to the greater of the minimum required contribution under ERISA or the amount necessary to fully fund the plan on an accumulated benefit obligation (“ABO”) basis at the end of the fiscal year. The ABO is based on a variety of demographic and economic assumptions, and the pension plan assets’ returns are subject to various risks, including market and interest rate risk, making an accurate prediction of the pension plan contribution difficult. The Company’s pension plan funding was 102% of the pension plan’s ABO at December 31, 2015.

The Company sponsors an unfunded defined benefit health care plan that provides limited postretirement medical benefits to employees who met minimum age and service requirements, and to eligible dependents. The plan limits cost increases in the Company’s contribution to 4% per year. The plan is contributory, with retiree contributions adjusted annually. The plan eliminated coverage for future retirees as of December 31, 2011. The Company also has an unfunded defined benefit supplemental executive retirement plan (“SERP”) that was assumed in an acquisition in 1999. That plan ceased to accrue additional benefits effective January 1, 2000.

The following table presents the change in benefit obligation and plan assets for the Company’s defined benefit plans and postretirement benefit plan (in thousands):

													Other Postretirement Benefits
	Pension Benefits												Postretirement
	Pension Plan						SERP						Welfare Plan
	2015			2014			2015			2014			2015			2014
Change in benefit obligation
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	315,075		$	249,960		$	1,637		$	1,529		$	1,264		$	2,307
Service cost		14,683			10,645			—			—			—			—
Interest cost		13,302			12,839			64			73			36			110
Actuarial loss (gain)		(39,474	)		66,640			(30	)		180			(321	)		(1,065	)
Gross benefits paid		(6,261	)		(25,009	)		(145	)		(145	)		(88	)		(88	)
Benefit obligation at end of year	$	297,325		$	315,075		$	1,526		$	1,637		$	891		$	1,264

Accumulated benefit obligation at end of year	$	238,775		$	241,592		$	1,526		$	1,637		$	—		$	—

Weighted-average assumption used to determine benefit obligation at end of year
Discount rate		4.5	%	4.1	%	4.5	%	4.1	%	4.5	%	4.1	%
Rate of compensation increase	Age-based table			4.25	%	—		—		—		—
Health care cost trend rate
Initial rate		—		—		—		—		6.5	%	7.0	%
Ultimate rate		—		—		—		—		5.0	%	5.0	%
Years to ultimate		—		—		—		—		2019		2019

Effect of one-percentage-point change in assumed health care cost trend rate on postretirement obligation
Increase	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	107		$	167
Decrease		—		—		—		—		(93	)		(141	)

Change in plan assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	$	242,275		$	254,523		$	—		$	—		$	—		$	—
Actual return on plan assets		(2,426	)		12,761			—			—			—			—
Employer contribution		10,000			—			145			145			88			88
Gross benefits paid		(6,261	)		(25,009	)		(145	)		(145	)		(88	)		(88	)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	$	243,588		$	242,275		$	—		$	—		$	—		$	—

The following table presents the funded status and amounts recognized in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet for the Company’s defined benefit plans and postretirement benefit plan at December 31, 2015 and 2014 (in thousands):

													Other Postretirement Benefits
	Pension Benefits												Postretirement
	Pension Plan						SERP						Welfare Plan
	2015			2014			2015			2014			2015			2014
Funded status at end of year
Fair value of plan assets	$	243,588		$	242,275		$	—		$	—		$	—		$	—
Benefit obligations		297,325			315,075			1,526			1,637			891			1,264
Funded status and amount recognized at end of year	$	(53,737	)	$	(72,800	)	$	(1,526	)	$	(1,637	)	$	(891	)	$	(1,264	)

Amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheets
Noncurrent asset	$	—		$	—		$	—		$	—		$	—		$	—
Current liability		—			—			(149	)		(141	)		(68	)		(83	)
Long-term liability		(53,737	)		(72,800	)		(1,377	)		(1,496	)		(823	)		(1,181	)

Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income
Net actuarial loss (gain)	$	77,940	$	104,795	$	508	$	566	$	(6,319	)	$	(6,787	)
Prior service cost (credit)		—		—		—		—		—			—
Accumulated other compensation income	$	77,940	$	104,795	$	508	$	566	$	(6,319	)	$	(6,787	)

The projected benefit obligation and fair value of plan assets for pension plans with a projected benefit obligation in excess of plan assets at December 31, 2015 and 2014 were as follows (in thousands):

	Pension Benefits
	Pension Plan						SERP
	2015			2014			2015			2014
Projected benefit obligation in excess of plan assets
Projected benefit obligation at end of year		$	297,325		$	315,075		$	1,526		$	1,637
Fair value of plan assets at end of year			243,588			242,275			—			—

The projected benefit obligation, accumulated benefit obligation and fair value of plan assets for pension plans with an accumulated benefit obligation in excess of plan assets at December 31, 2015 and 2014 were as follows (in thousands):

	Pension Benefits
	Pension Plan						SERP
	2015			2014			2015			2014
Accumulated benefit obligation in excess of plan assets
Projected benefit obligation at end of year		$	—		$	—		$	1,526		$	1,637
Accumulated benefit obligation at end of year			—			—			1,526			1,637
Fair value of plan assets at end of year			—			—			—			—

The following tables presents the expected cash flows for the Company’s defined benefit plans and postretirement benefit plan at December 31, 2015 and 2014 (in thousands):

									Other Postretirement Benefits
	Pension Benefits								Postretirement
	Pension Plan				SERP				Welfare Plan
	2015		2014		2015		2014		2015		2014
Expected employer contributions
First year	$	—	$	8,400	$	152	$	143	$	70	$	84

									Other Postretirement Benefits
	Pension Benefits								Postretirement
	Pension Plan				SERP				Welfare Plan
	2015		2014		2015		2014		2015		2014
Expected benefit payments (gross)
Year one	$	7,678	$	7,100	$	152	$	143	$	81	$	96
Year two		8,298		7,672		157		151		86		98
Year three		9,013		8,333		154		155		86		103
Year four		9,748		9,080		152		153		86		95
Year five		10,415		9,868		149		150		85		94
Next five years		63,860		62,666		608		621		341		445

									Other Postretirement Benefits
	Pension Benefits								Postretirement
	Pension Plan				SERP				Welfare Plan
	2015		2014		2015		2014		2015			2014
Expected federal subsidy
Year one	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	(11	)	$	(11	)
Year two		—		—		—		—		(11	)		(11	)
Year three		—		—		—		—		(11	)		(11	)
Year four		—		—		—		—		(12	)		(12	)
Year five		—		—		—		—		(12	)		(12	)
Next five years		—		—		—		—		(55	)		(55	)

The components of net periodic benefit cost and other changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income for the Company’s defined benefit plans for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 were as follows (in thousands):

	Pension Benefits
	Pension Plan									SERP
	2015			2014			2013			2015			2014			2013
Components of net periodic benefit cost
Service cost	$	14,683		$	10,645		$	12,824		$	—		$	—		$	—
Interest cost		13,302			12,839			11,400			64			73			70
Expected return on plan assets		(17,921	)		(18,858	)		(16,127	)		—			—			—
Amortization:
Actuarial loss		7,728			701			8,276			28			16			19
Prior service credit		—			—			—			—			—			—
Net periodic benefit cost		17,792			5,327			16,373			92			89			89

Other changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income
Current year actuarial loss (gain)		(19,127	)		72,737			(61,759	)		(30	)		180			(138	)
Recognition of actuarial loss		(7,728	)		(701	)		(8,276	)		(28	)		(16	)		(19	)
Recognition of prior service credit		—			—			—			—			—			—
Total recognized in other comprehensive income		(26,855	)		72,036			(70,035	)		(58	)		164			(157	)

Total recognized in net periodic benefit cost and other comprehensive income	$	(9,063	)	$	77,363		$	(53,662	)	$	34		$	253		$	(68	)

Weighted average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit cost
Discount rate	4.1	%	5.0	%	4.1	%	4.1	%	5.0	%	4.1	%
Expected long-term rate of return on plan assets	7.5	%	7.5	%	7.5	%	—		—		—
Rate of compensation increase	4.25	%	4.25	%	4.25	%	—		—		—

The estimated amounts that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive income into net periodic benefit cost in 2016 are as follows (in thousands):

	Pension Benefits
	Pension Plan		SERP
Actuarial loss	$	4,924	$	26
Prior service credit		—		—
	$	4,924	$	26

The components of net periodic benefit cost and other changes in benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income for the Company’s postretirement benefit plan for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 were as follows (in thousands):

	Other Postretirement Benefits
	Postretirement Welfare Plan
	2015			2014			2013
Components of net periodic benefit cost
Service cost	$	—		$	—		$	—
Interest cost		36			110			112
Amortization:
Actuarial gain		(793	)		(649	)		(620	)
Prior service cost		—			—			—
Net periodic benefit cost		(757	)		(539	)		(508	)

Other changes in benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income
Current year actuarial gain		(322	)		(1,065	)		(600	)
Recognition of actuarial gain		793			649			620
Recognition of prior service cost		—			—			—
Adjustment for actual Medicare Part D reimbursement		(3	)		(8	)		(5	)
Total recognized in other comprehensive income		468			(424	)		15

Total recognized in net periodic benefit cost and other comprehensive income	$	(289	)	$	(963	)	$	(493	)

Weighted average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit cost
Discount rate	4.1	%	5.0	%	4.1	%
Health care cost trend rate:
Initial rate	7.0	%	7.0	%	7.5	%
Ultimate rate	5.0	%	5.0	%	5.0	%
Years to ultimate	2019		2018		2018

Effect of one-percentage-point change in assumed health care cost trend rate on aggregate service and interest cost
Increase	$	5		$	7		$	10
Decrease		(4	)		(6	)		(9	)

The estimated amounts that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive income into net periodic benefit cost in 2016 are as follows (in thousands):

	Other Postretirement Benefits
	Postretirement Welfare Plan
Actuarial gain	$	(745	)
Prior service cost		—
	$	(745	)

The Company also contributes to a multiemployer pension plan pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement which covers certain vessel crew members of its coastal operations and expires on April 30, 2018. The Company began participation in the Seafarers Pension Trust (“SPT”) with the Penn acquisition on December 14, 2012.

Contributions to the SPT are made currently based on a per day worked basis and charged to expense as incurred and included in costs of sales and operating expenses in the consolidated statement of earnings. During 2015 and 2014, the Company made contributions of $1,202,000 and $1,290,000, respectively, to the SPT and none of the Company’s contributions to the SPT exceeded 5% of total contributions to the SPT nor did the Company pay any material surcharges.

The federal identification number of the SPT is 13-6100329 and the Certified Zone Status is Green at December 31, 2015. The Company’s future minimum contribution requirements under the SPT are unavailable because actuarial reports for the 2015 plan year are not yet complete and such contributions are subject to negotiations between the employers and the unions. The SPT was neither in endangered or critical status for the 2014 plan year, the latest period for which a report is available, as the funded status was in excess of 100%. Based on an actuarial valuation performed as of December 31, 2014, there would be no withdrawal liability if the Company chose to withdraw from the SPT although the Company currently has no intention of terminating its participation in the SPT.

In addition to the defined benefit plans, the Company sponsors various defined contribution plans for substantially all employees. The aggregate contributions to the plans were $24,077,000, $23,356,000 and $23,158,000 in 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.