twice-weekly. Rye also recognizes how critical reliability is. “It’s such a tight supply chain and Alaskans rely on consistent service,” he says. “We operate safely, but reliably.” TOTE Maritime’s Orca Class ships were built for the challenging conditions of the Gulf of Alaska. As important, its telematics technology provides end-to- end visibility of shipments. TOTE’s unique roll-on, roll-off (RORO) ships enable shippers to drive their cargo directly onto the ship. Another benefit: the ships can accommodate blended cargo and keep all goods within their trailers. What’s more, cargo can be safely loaded without using forklifts and cranes, Rye says. During the pandemic, when access to Canada was limited, many Americans from mainland United States who wanted to get to Alaska could ship their vehicles and RVs on TOTE, and fly in to meet them in Anchorage. “It’s like an extension of the highway to Alaska,” Rye says. TOTE offers a range of equipment, including 53-foot, refrigerated, and insulated trailers. “When the weather drops to below-zero temperatures, insulated trailers maintain the temperature without freezing,” Rye says. TOTE also moves construction and military equipment, using vessels that accommodate over-the-road trailers and over-sized freight equipment. Just as important, its telematics technology provides end-to-end shipment visibility. Preventing Stockouts Alaska’s size, geography, and weather can make distribution centers and centralized warehouses expensive and impractical to operate. As a result, shippers from the lower 48 states need to coordinate and consolidate shipments to arrive on time to prevent stockouts at stores. The weekly replenishment of clothes and food from ocean shipments is critical. “We can serve as a company’s distribution center in Alaska, providing a statewide service network and last-mile delivery to virtually any part of the state,”
TOTE Maritime Alaska operates two cargo ships that transport goods to and from Tacoma, Washington, to Anchorage, Alaska, twice-weekly. The ships can accommodate blended cargo and keep all goods within their trailers.
someone to accompany a shipment or hand-carry a critical item to ensure it arrives at its final destination.” Ensuring Reliability Matson Navigation Company has been a leader in shipping through the Pacific Ocean since 1882 and its team has been serving customers in Alaska since 1964, says Bal Dreyfus, senior vice president, Alaska, with Matson. In 2015, through the acquisition of the Alaska operations of Horizon Lines, Inc., Matson added the ports of Anchorage, Kodiak, and Dutch Harbor to its shipping network. Matson also invested millions in new equipment, including a 65-ton gantry crane for its Kodiak terminal. It’s the largest crane in Alaska and powered by renewable energy. Matson operates three ships in the Alaska trade lane. The ships call in Anchorage and Kodiak twice each week and Unalaska once per week. Matson owns its own equipment and operates its own terminals in Tacoma, Anchorage, Kodiak, and Unalaska. Control of these assets allows Matson to operate reliably as close to its service schedule as weather and tides allow. Matson, which is the only Jones Act containership operator serving Kodiak and Dutch Harbor, serves more Alaska ports than any other containership operator. Matson’s Alaska service offers a
says Michael Johnson, president, Span Alaska, a division of Matson Logistics. Span Alaska Transportation provides over-the-water shipping twice weekly via containership, or weekly via barge, from the Port of Tacoma, Washington, to the Port of Anchorage as well as Kodiak Island. Its team of expert logisticians then uses rail, road, and air to deliver shipments to their ultimate destinations. Span Alaska is a leader in moving less-than truckload (LTL) and less-than- container (LCL) freight across Alaska. At its base in Auburn, Washington, Span Alaska Transportation operates a 93-door terminal on 15 acres. From Anchorage, Span Alaska also offers southbound shipping to Kodiak, Dutch Harbor, and the Port of Tacoma once weekly. For shipments destined beyond Tacoma, Span Alaska leverages a network of premium truck and rail carriers to deliver Alaska-origin shipments to any location throughout the United States and Canada. To ensure adequate inventories, especially given current supply chain shortages, Odyssey and some other companies have been back ordering supplies. Odyssey also has helped get some clients to change packaging materials to those that are more readily available. “Odyssey prides itself on being agile,” Totah says. “If we need to, we’ll fly
50 Inbound Logistics • April 2022
Powered by FlippingBook