It’s no secret that Western Kentucky’s heart lies within the heritage of the river industry. From downtown Paducah’s historic riverfront murals to the sight of ships carrying precious packs of cargo along the shoreline, the beauty of the river industry inspires all. Such sentimental feelings about the river can be best seen through the company Western Rivers Boat Management, Inc.
Located in the center of Paducah’s maritime activity, Western Rivers Boat Management provides an array of both marine and industrial transportation services along all sectors of the inland waterways. Essentially, the business specializes in transporting different commodities on tow boats. Western Rivers Boat Management ships everything from dry goods, liquids and specialty items with the utmost care and safety.
In 1976, Western Rivers Boat Management owner and operator Charles Strait began his lifelong career in the riverboat transportation industry. He first started out as a deckhand for White River Fleeting in Mississippi. Charles worked hard while studying the ins and outs of the industry. After managing to work his way up to ship pilot, he moved down to New Orleans to be the Port Captain in 1984.
During Charles’s time as a Port Captain, he began to consider opening his own company for river transportation. As a genuine self-starter, Charles started Western Rivers Boat Management in his kitchen in Ash Flat, Arkansas. He purchased a 3000-horsepower twin screw boat, naming it the M/V Mr. Lewis after his father. The business took off and grew to be a success.
After several years operating out of Arkansas, Western Rivers Boat Management moved to Paducah, a city built upon its booming maritime industry. The company currently operates 34 vessels and is the largest independently owned tow company in the United States.
In addition to transporting commodities along rivers throughout the Midwest, Western Rivers Boat Management performs a number of repairs and services in their electrical, machine, and fabrication shops. These services emerged shortly after the company relocated to Paducah. At the time, Charles expanded the business by adding the First Marine Repair Facility. This facility is extremely beneficial as it allows for repairs to be done in an ample dry-docking space for quick vessel service.
Following the opening of the First Marine Repair Facility, the company established the Western Rivers Diesel Division, which handles engine installation, rebuilding, and repair. To top it all off, Charles later added the SMS Machine and Fabrication shop to cater to land-based heavy equipment manufacturers.
Although the company offers a distinctive range of services, the thing that sets Western Rivers Boat Management apart is its workplace environment. As a family owned and operated business, customer service and productivity at a competitive price means that when you partner with Western Rivers Boat Management, you will be treated like family.
The business is owned and operated by Charles Strait and his wife Janice. Their four kids Jason, Cliff, Chuck, and Natalie Strait all hold management positions within the company and are proud to be a part of the family business.
The high-quality services offered by Western Rivers Boat Management are exactly why safety is their number one priority in all forms of production. The company is a member of the American Waterways Operators (AWO), an organization dedicated to safety and environmental impact. Western Rivers Boat Management is a member of AWO to ensure that their crews and vessels are operating within a rigorous set of safety standards.
In fact, attention to environmental impact comes easily for Western Rivers Boat Management. This is because waterway transport is the most efficient way to transport goods, since big boats can haul things at a greater capacity. This makes transport by boat environmentally friendly, since having to make fewer trips to carry goods back and forth means that less carbon dioxide will be emitted. With companies leaning towards shrinking their carbon footprint, Western Rivers Boat Management can help those moving goods do so in a way less harmful to the planet.
When it comes to community and compassionate service, Western Rivers Boat Management is the best business for transporting any sort of goods throughout the Midwest. Call (270) 444-4772 for any business inquiries today.
