a history of
Service
i n n o vat i o n
19 5 3 - 2 0 13
For more than half a century, Crowley
has efficiently and effectively served
the needs of Alaska, the largest state
by area in the U.S. and the largest
exclave – or part of a country not
physically contiguous – in the world.
In the last 60 years, Crowley has grown its
services in support of Alaska's economy,
which is dominated by the oil and natural
gas industries and accounts for 20 percent
of all domestically produced petroleum.
Crowley recognized the potential of the
territory's abundant natural resources six
years before it became the 49th state and
has been a longstanding, valued partner
to the people and businesses of Alaska
ever since by providing unique solutions
to some of the most complex logistics
and marine transportation challenges
ever posed.
While the company's history in Alaska
dates back to 1953 – when a Crowley
company pioneered the use of barges
to transport railcars between Ketchikan,
Alaska, and Prince Rupert, British
Columbia – it has continued to expand
continued on page 2
In 1983, Gladiator departs
for Alaska with a tandem tow
of barges loaded with sealift
modules. Right: Barge ABC20,
used in the 1950s, was equipped
to transport railcars between
Ketchikan, AK, and Prince Rupert,
British Columbia, Canada.
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