(ANCHORAGE, Alaska; April 25, 2013) ­– Bowhead Transport Company, LLC, and Crowley Marine Services, Inc., have announced the formation of a joint venture to provide marine services in Alaska’s Arctic.

The new Alaska-based joint venture will operate under the name UIC Bowhead-Crowley, LLC. Bowhead Transport is a wholly-owned subsidiary of UkpeaÄ¡vik Iñupiat Corporation (UIC), the Alaska Native Village Corporation of Barrow, Alaska.

Both companies have longstanding histories of providing services in the Arctic with Bowhead Transport Company providing common carriage service for 30 years to the coastal communities of Alaska and Crowley providing marine transportation, energy support and petroleum distribution services for over 60 years throughout the state.

The companies’ complementary business models offer clients a comprehensive package for their marine, logistics and transportation needs. The UIC Bowhead-Crowley joint venture will be mainly focused on the oil and gas industries and supporting their growing needs in the Arctic. Because of the companies’ strong ties to the communities in which they work, they are able to facilitate local hire and provide local expertise.

“This new partnership is really tailored to meet the needs of customers in the oil and gas; mining and minerals; and engineering, procurement and construction management industries,” said Crowley’s Bruce Harland, vice president in Anchorage. “Crowley has provided turnkey marine solutions in the Arctic for many years utilizing the company’s diverse capabilities, assets and world-class project management skills. Our solutions team is very much looking forward to working with Bowhead to provide greater value to customers with multifaceted marine and offshore construction-related projects.”

“We look to provide greater efficiency, lower costs, expanded capabilities and higher value to our customers through the joint venture. Both of our companies have a strong commitment to the safety of our employees and those we work with and strive to be good citizens in every community in which we operate,” said Jim Dwight, general manager of Bowhead Transport Company.