Growth

Saltchuk's Investment Focus

Saltchuk has experienced significant growth over the last forty years by expanding and diversifying our portfolio of transportation and logistics companies.

We continue to invest in our core business while actively seeking new partnerships and complementary acquisition opportunities. Our collaborative approach to growth makes us an ideal investor for companies looking to partner with a stable organization with a long-term outlook.

TOTE Maritime Alaska Orca vessel with LNG tanks in ice filled Alaskan waters

Local Leadership and Decentralized Decision Making

Saltchuk provides leadership and resources to our companies without direct management of their operations. Our decentralized management structure keeps decisions with the people closest to operations, allowing them to adapt to market shifts and customer needs quickly. Our acquisition strategy evaluates culture fit, seeking alignment with companies that share our core values of safety, reliability, and commitment to their communities, employees, and environments.

Older man with arms crossed in an orange high visibility vest.

We're In It For The Long Haul

As a private, multi-generational investor, our long-term approach to evaluating opportunities and investments has been a key ingredient in our success. This approach allows us to invest in capital-intensive businesses and commit to reinvesting in the equipment and infrastructure necessary for our companies to provide reliable, best-in-class services and lead their industries in environmental stewardship for generations to come.

Explore Opportunities With Saltchuk

If being part of a community-focused organization committed to long-term success, industry leadership, and environmental stewardship interests you, contact us to explore opportunities to partner or join our family of companies: [email protected].

Lee and Wilfred Ryan stand next to a Ryan Air plane

Helping to Create a Culture of Excellence

Ryan Air—the Alaskan bush freight carrier founded by Wilfred and Eva Ryan in 1953—joined the Saltchuk family of companies in December 2022. "Our integration with a larger company like Saltchuk strengthens us from within, enabling us to foster a work environment that attracts top talent and inspires employees. We can offer more comprehensive training programs, career advancement opportunities, and the chance to collaborate with experts across the Saltchuk family. Investing in our people creates a culture of excellence where everyone feels valued, encouraged, and motivated to excel."

Lee Ryan

President, Ryan Air

Katrina Anderson poses at the helm of a Foss tug.

Mutual Respect and a Strong Reputation

Katrina Anderson was the fourth generation to work the family business, Cook Inlet Tug & Barge. Today, she is a Captain with the Foss Maritime PNW fleet. "It was a tough decision to sell, but regulation changes and growth in the industry were making it difficult for our small family company to keep up. I’m just glad that Saltchuk could absorb us into their family. I’ve known about Saltchuk for most of my life: my dad started pushing the TOTE ships into the Port of Anchorage in the ’70s. We’ve always thought highly of their business practices and were thrilled when they approached us about acquiring Cook Inlet Tug & Barge."

Katrina Anderson

Cook Inlet Tug & Barge

Kimo Haynes driving a forklift in Hawaii

Retaining a Family Feel

More than 15 years after agreeing to spend a couple of years transitioning his family company to Saltchuk ownership, Hawaii Petroleum President, Kimo Haynes, reflects on the journey. "I think what most attracted us to Saltchuk was the promise to take care of our employees. Here in Hawaii, we treat our employees like family. There was a lot of fear and anxiety at the time — our employees didn’t know what to expect — but everyone’s been well taken care of. We still have that family feel, have a lot of freedom to make decisions about the company, and that’s helped us as we continue to work to serve our employees, customers, and community. What Saltchuk committed to at the time of the transaction, they followed through with. 15 years later, I can say they’ve followed through, especially when it comes to our employees.”

Kimo Haynes

Hawaii Petroleum, President

Good Things Are Worth Waiting For

While Saltchuk's cultivation of OSG began nearly 20 years prior, ownership discussions only initiated when current CEO Sam Norton approached Saltchuk in 2018—consistent with how other management teams, including Tropical, have sought Saltchuk's ownership. “In 2024, OSG entered a new chapter in its over 75 year history as a member of the Saltchuk family of companies. In this new chapter, OSG is excited for the opportunities that await as we continue to build upon our success as a leading provider a Jones Act liquid bulk transportation.”

Sam Norton

Overseas Shipholding Group, CEO

Less Stress and Lots of Support

In 2019, Lisa Sundborg and her siblings were looking for a way to keep growing the family business when they decided to join NorthStar Energy and the Saltchuk family of companies. "At the start, they really made us feel our family business was going to stay a family-run business. And two years later, I’m telling you, that’s the way it is. Do you know how nice it is to be a small family business with an HR department, a legal team, an environmental team, a safety team – all standing by to help us? When you get as big as we were independently, we had to do all that on our own. We still have a desire to be successful – but we don’t have that constant stress."

Lisa Sundborg

Alaska Petroleum Distributing

Open and Transparent Negotiations

In 1993, new regulations in San Francisco Bay required that all tankers be escorted by state-of-the-art tractor tugs. Unable to invest millions of dollars into building these new tugs, AmNav’s leadership team decided to sell the company. Merritt reached out to Saltchuk, one of three companies he knew were interested. "One of the companies wanted to let our employees go and just retain the tugs, so they were eliminated. The other two companies indicated their desire to keep the company, brand, management, administrative staff, and marine personnel operating as before. So what tipped the scale? Saltchuk was by far was the most open and transparent company, and we liked the positive attitudes possessed by the shareholders. They got us at ‘good attitude.'"