Kevin Weiss, General Manager, Bowhead Transport
Kevin Weiss, longtime Alaska marine logistics professional, has joined Bowhead Transport as its general manager. He brings 20 years of direct experience on boats in Alaska waters in addition to 20 years in management.
Kevin grew up in Nenana, Alaska, at the confluence of the Tanana and Nenana Rivers. Boating was a natural part of community life, and at 18 he started working as a deckhand for Yutana Barge Lines. By age 24 he was a captain. He gained experience in both shallow river and coastal operations, from the Yukon River system to Cook Inlet, Prince William Sound, and Gulf of Alaska. He cut his teeth in Valdez Harbor during oil spill cleanup efforts, then spent two decades delivering essential freight and fuel to remote communities around the state.
These jobs solidified Kevin’s understanding of the environmental and technical challenges of operating vessels in Alaska, how to manage crew endurance during tough seasonal work away from home, and shaped his perspective on what the marine industry means to Alaska’s remote communities.
He moved to management in 2008, becoming the first employee of Cruz Marine. Over the next 18 years, Kevin and his team developed the company’s fleet, expanding to 5 tugs and 7 barges. As General Manager and then Director of the marine division, he oversaw the process of building custom vessels for Alaska which included the international logistics of two Panama canal transits.
Now at Bowhead Transport, Kevin will guide the company through the next chapter in its 42-year history, with a focus on line-haul cargo and project support from southcentral and the Aleutian chain up to the Arctic communities of the North Slope.
“Kevin knows Alaska’s waters, vessels, communities, and maritime professionals,” said Clayton Arterburn, senior vice president of UIC Commercial Services. “In addition to his management expertise, this makes him a great fit for Bowhead Transport. We’re happy to have him on board.”
Off deck and out of the office, Kevin is a husband and dad of four who enjoys fast boats, offshore fishing and trail rides to the family cabin on the Yentna River plus a good game of cribbage.
About Bowhead Transport
Bowhead Transport is an Alaska marine transport company that offers line haul cargo service between Seattle and Alaska, serving coastal and river communities from southcentral to the Aleutians, Western Alaska and the North Slope. It also provides project support for multiple industries, including construction, telecom, and oil and gas. Bowhead’s fleet includes barges, tugs, and landing craft, including vessels that can operate in shallow, remote areas. Bowhead Transport is a subsidiary of UIC Commercial Services, a division of Ukpeaġvik Iñupiat Corporation.