Don Young Port of Alaska in Anchorage
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Don Young Port of Alaska in Anchorage

Don Young Port of Alaska

Don Young Port of Alaska is a Municipality of Anchorage owned facility that serves all of Alaska and the nation. It is Alaska’s most versatile port that handled 5.2 million tons of fuel and freight in 2022, including containers, liquid bulk, dry bulk, break bulk, and cruise ships too.

About half of all Alaska inbound cargo crosses Port of Alaska docks, about half of which is delivered to final destinations outside of Anchorage – statewide, including Southeast. It leverages hundreds of millions of dollars of public and private infrastructure, including more than 125 acres of cargo-handling yard, 3.1 million barrels of liquid fuel storage, 60,000 tons of cement storage, gantry cranes, RO-RO trestles, and a large, skilled workforce. It is located on upper Cook Inlet, adjacent to Alaska’s population center and primary road, marine, air, rail and pipeline cargo distribution systems.

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Alaska’s Primary Inbound-Cargo Port

Anchorage-owned and operated facility that handles half of all Alaska inbound freight – more than four million tons of fuel and cargo annually.
New Petroleum Cement Terminal

Modernization Program

Port of Alaska’s Modernization Program is a dock replacement program that aims to replace aging docks and related infrastructure before it fails.

PAMP will:

  • Replace aging docks and related infrastructure
  • Improve operational safety and efficiency
  • Accommodate modern shipping operations
  • Improve resiliency – to survive extreme seismic events and Cook Inlet’s harsh marine environment
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Big Anchorage Tides

Upper Cook Inlet has the highest tides in the United States and range almost 40 feet.

NOAA tide predictions for Port of Alaska typically range between low tides down to minus five feet and high tides that exceed plus 33 feet, with a mean daily tide range of 26.2 feet.

Anchorage’s extreme tides are driven by Upper Cook Inlet’s constricted geography and the configuration of northern hemisphere land masses. Local weather conditions intensify Anchorage’s tide fluctuations.

Click on these video link to see how tides influence Port of Alaska operations.

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What's new at the port . . .

Upcoming Meetings

Anchorage Port Commission Meeting Schedule

September 3, 2025 – noon-2pm: The next meeting will be held live at the third-floor conference room in the new Don Young Port of Alaska administrative office at 1871 Anchorage Port Road. Commissioners and others may participate virtually via Microsoft Teams. Please send an email with the words “Port Commission Meeting” in the subject line to PortOfAlaska@anchorageak.gov before 5 pm on Tuesday, September 2, 2025 to request an email meeting invitation with call-in phone number and log-in information. Don Young Port of Alaska is a secure facility that follows U.S. Department of Homeland Security protocol. All visitors (including meeting participants) must show a government-issued photo ID at the port security gate. Firearms, ammunition, fireworks, and other explosive devices are prohibited inside of the port security perimeter. All vehicles are subject to random security screening. Meeting agenda and information packet will be available to download prior to the meeting.

Port News

The Don Young Port of Alaska prepares for a historic overhaul to cargo terminal

After over 60 years of existence, the Don Young Port of Alaska is already in the process of the largest change since its inception. As part of the Port of Alaska Modernization Program, a contract for over $800 million in work was awarded by the municipality of Anchorage for a new terminal, meaning designs over a decade in the making will begin to take shape.
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Unanimous Assembly votes secure $1.1B financing option for Port of Alaska and construction contract

The Anchorage Assembly approved two measures this week that clear a path for funding and finishing a longstanding overhaul of the state’s main port facility.
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New Terminal Tariff Effective January 1, 2025

View the New Port of Alaska Terminal Tariff No. 10.1: Click Here.

Port of Alaska Modernization Program Plan of Finance

Download Comprehensive PAMP Plan of Finance, Jan. 27, 2025 - pdf

Federal appeals court overturns $367M award to Anchorage in lawsuit over faulty port construction

December 19, 2024 - A federal appeals court panel has overturned a previous decision that awarded more than $367.4 million to the Municipality of Anchorage in its lawsuit against the federal government over failed construction work at the Don Young Port of Alaska.
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Port of Alaska logistical and economic advantages report

Download Port of Alaska logistical and economic advantages report – pdf

Port of Alaska Fact Sheet.

Download Port of Alaska fact sheet – pdf

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