UWL, a top-10 American-owned NVOCC and global 3PL solutions provider, announced the strategic expansion of its reefer program to Southeast Alaska. Additionally, the company has welcomed Peter Vigil onboard as its inaugural Director of Refrigerated Services. Both moves come at a critical time for agricultural and seafood exports amid an evolving marketplace.

“This expansion to Alaska is another way we are responding to the needs of our customers,” said UWL President Duncan Wright. “Sun Chief Express has experienced success with our existing export program through the Port of Seattle, and with today’s market only being serviced by a limited number of carriers, this addition is a natural extension that makes sense for all parties involved. We continue to bring reliability and out-of-the-box thinking to customers, providing a speedy shipping option that is a real outlier compared to other offerings.”

Customers can now take advantage of UWL reefer equipment - with guaranteed availability, on request - across four cities in Southeast Alaska: Ketchikan, Juneau, Petersburg, and Sitka. Once loaded, containers will travel to Seattle for transport on the speedy Sun Chief Express service. The service will call all existing westbound port calls in Southeast Asia, including stops in Korea, Vietnam, and Thailand.

Peter Vigil

Helping to generate reefer export business and assist with coordination will be Peter Vigil, Director, Refrigerated Services. With over 30 years of experience in the logistics industry and a proven track record of driving sales growth, Vigil will play a key role in growing UWL's reefer program as part of the Sun Chief Express service, which offers transit times from Seattle to Busan in just 12 days and to Vietnam in as little as 18 days. "

"Peter's experience and reputation in the industry are a game-changer for UWL," said Jane Colazzo, Senior VP of Strategic Development, whose efforts to create the reefer component of Sun Chief Express were recently recognized by Food Logistics magazine. "We want to build on our success by working with different commodities including frozen potatoes, seafood, and proteins– especially with the recent expansion into Alaska. These products need to be delivered with speed and consistency, and Peter's ability to navigate the nuances and time-sensitive nature of reefer products will be an asset for customers." 

Prior to joining UWL, Peter held leadership positions at notable companies such as Maersk, COSCO, and DHL Global Forwarding. At each organization, he built successful reefer-oriented sales teams that drove revenue growth. His wealth of knowledge and experience in the industry will be incredibly valuable in his new role at UWL.

Clients who utilize Sun Chief Express will continue to benefit from a reliable schedule that is published nine months in advance, allowing for steady planning and forecasting. UWL continues to bring reliability and consistency to a marketplace that is only just now continuing to adjust to a post-COVID environment. With West Coast labor issues progressing towards a long-term resolution, customers can rely on the knowledge that Sun Chief Express offers guaranteed equipment and no rolled cargo. This ensures that time-sensitive cargo will arrive when customers need it, consistently and reliably.

“These are exciting times for our company as we continue to innovate and expand,” added Wright. “The market is asking for these services, especially as we enter cherry and apple season, and now we have the capacity and experience to bring it to life and operate successfully. We will continue to respond with our customers’ needs top-of-mind, so we ensure our continued shared success.”