Federal agencies inspect cargo at the port that supplies most of Alaska

The Coast Guard, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Transportation Security Administration inspected cargo at the Port of Alaska in Anchorage, the port that brings in goods used by about 90% of Alaskans, the Coast Guard said in a post last week.

The Coast Guard called it a multi-agency strike force operation, meant to promote the safe and lawful movement of goods and strengthen security across the maritime transportation system. The post did not give a date or say whether inspectors found violations or took enforcement action.

The port handled about 5.5 million tons of fuel and cargo in 2025, and roughly 90% of the liquid fuel shipped into Southcentral Alaska passes through it, according to the Port of Alaska.

The post also did not say what each agency checked. Among other duties, NOAA's fisheries enforcement office polices seafood imports, and TSA issues the credentials workers need to enter secure areas of ports without an escort.

Coast Guard crews came from units including Sector Western Alaska and U.S. Arctic, the unit based at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson that was called Sector Anchorage until April 2024. It covers Western Alaska, the North Slope and the Aleutian Islands through Prince William Sound.

The port is also heading into a rebuild of its aging docks. Its cargo surcharge nearly triples Jan. 1, to $22.76 a ton from $8.05, to help pay for it, Alaska News reported Sept. 12.