NOME, Alaska-Sitnasuak Native Corporation, the largest of 16 village corporations in the Bering Straits Region, announced to day that they have signed a contract with Vitus Marine LLC for that company to provide the much needed fuel to ice-bound Nome.

Vitus Marine will deliver the fuel to the western coast city of Nome with a double hulled Russian tanker to deliver 1.5 million gallons of fuel and gas. The delivery will mark the first time that a fuel has been supplied by sea during the wintertime season in the region.

Vitus Marine LLC was formed in 2009 to meet the needs of Alaska Village Electric Cooperative. The company serves several regions in the Bering Sea including Bristol Bay, the Kuskokwim, Kotzebue and Kobuk, Norton Sound, the Seward Peninsula and Norton Sound.

The Sitnasuak Native Corporation was formed in 1972, is based in Nome and now serves approximately 2,400 shareholders.