What You Missed: Big Moves in Transportation, Tariffs & Alaska’s Infrastructure

Megan Militello
7 days ago
4 min read

In May, I sat in on a packed Commonwealth North meeting—and let me tell you, it was full of updates that every Alaskan manufacturer, supplier, and logistics partner should hear.

From military strategy to permitting wins to why our port got a "D" on purpose (yep, on purpose), there’s a lot happening that affects how goods move into and out of our state. Even if you couldn’t be in the room, you deserve to know what’s going on.

So here’s a recap—with less jargon, more clarity, and just the good stuff.

⚓ The Port of Alaska: It's Kind of a Big Deal

Let’s start with the Port of Alaska. If you’ve ever heard someone say that 90% of Alaska’s goods come through it—they’re not exaggerating. That’s why it’s now classified as one of 17 Strategic Military Ports in the country.

Senator Dan Sullivan shared that the port’s condition is… well, not great. Some of the pilings (the things holding it up) are so deteriorated that it's not a question of if something will happen—it’s when. So they’re working hard to upgrade it before we hit crisis mode.

Here’s where it gets strategic:

Senator Sullivan asked the Department of Defense to give the port a formal grade, knowing full well we’d score low. We did—a D. And that’s exactly what they needed to justify pushing for more support and funding and it worked.

So far:

~$500 million in federal funding secured over the past few years
$65M awarded just last fall
Major permitting wins (more on that in a minute)
Strong military, FEMA, and emergency response use

Why it matters to you: If you make, ship, or sell anything that moves through the port, this investment means stronger, more reliable infrastructure for years to come.

✈️ Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport: Low-Key Global Powerhouse

Next up: the airport.

Terry from the Ted Stevens team dropped some big stats. Our Anchorage airport handles more cargo than almost anywhere else in the world—yep, we’re behind only Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Memphis.

During COVID, there were days Anchorage was the busiest airport in the world. Wild, right?

Fast facts:

3.5 million+ tons of cargo move through annually
33 airlines signed onto a 10-year agreement (the industry standard is 5 years)
Over $500M in private investment coming in for warehouses, cold storage, etc.
Every airplane overhead brings in $3K–$6K in revenue

They’re also seeing record tourism traffic and pushing for more off-season service, which is great news for our economy—and for those of us who like to fly south for the winter.

Why it matters to you: If you ship products or bring in raw materials, this airport is your lifeline—and it’s only getting stronger.

⚖️ Permitting: A Glimmer of Hope (Finally)

If you've ever tried to get a permit in Alaska, you know the struggle. Some projects take 10+ years to move forward—because of red tape, environmental studies, and constant lawsuits.

But! There’s real progress happening.

Senator Sullivan shared a huge win:

NOAA issued a critical permit for the Port of Alaska in just two months—a process that usually takes over a year. That’s practically lightning speed in the world of permitting.

Even bigger? The Supreme Court recently reined in NEPA (the law that guides environmental reviews). Agencies are now required to focus only on direct, local impacts—not hypothetical global ones. That change could save years of back-and-forth for big projects across the state.

Why it matters to you: Faster permits mean faster growth. If you’re expanding a facility, setting up new equipment, or working on infrastructure, change might finally be coming in your favor.

🛰 National Defense = Local Opportunity

If you think national defense is something that only happens “out there,” think again—Alaska is playing a key role.

Senator Sullivan talked about the proposed Golden Dome missile defense initiative—a $25 billion project, and Alaska is central to it. That includes upgrades to Fort Greely and new systems to handle emerging threats.

But the real curveball? They’re working on a plan to reopen the Adak military base. It’s about 1,000 miles west of Anchorage and incredibly strategic for watching the Pacific.

If that goes through, it could mean serious federal investment—and big opportunities for local contractors, suppliers, and builders.

Why it matters to you: New defense activity = new demand for logistics, materials, housing, and local services. It’s time to start thinking about how your business could fit in.

💵 What About Tariffs?

Lots of folks in the room had questions about tariffs and global trade—especially given all the election talk and shifting alliances. But the answer (for now) is: we just don’t know yet.

Airlines and cargo carriers are seeing slower growth than in past years, but not a huge drop. Data takes a few weeks to trickle in, so it’ll be a bit before we can say for sure how tariffs are affecting imports and exports.

That said, Alaska’s domestic shipping lanes have remained strong and stable, especially compared to the chaos in major international ports during COVID.

Why it matters to you: Our isolation is usually a challenge—but in this case, it’s helping us stay consistent. Keep an eye on trends, but don’t panic just yet.

🛠 We’re Not the Last Frontier—We’re the First Line

One of the biggest takeaways from this meeting?

Alaska is no longer just “out of sight, out of mind.” From defense to cargo to energy, our state is front and center in a lot of federal conversations right now.

If everything we heard comes to fruition—modernized ports, airport expansions, reopened military bases, smarter permitting—then Alaska businesses stand to benefit in a big way.

But only if we’re ready.

📣 What You Can Do

Whether you’re a one-person shop or managing a full-scale operation, here’s how to get involved:

Stay informed. Infrastructure and permitting shifts impact your timeline, costs, and growth.
Get visible. Reach out to government and industry contacts to share your capacity and interests.
Build your network. Join our B2B directory, attend MFG Mixers, roundtables, and stay connected with others doing the work.

Alaska’s infrastructure is moving—and so should we. Whether it’s upgrading logistics, locking in contracts, or preparing for new opportunities, now’s the time to pay attention.

We’ll keep showing up to the meetings.

We’ll keep asking questions.

And we’ll keep sharing what we learn—so you can keep building.

Let’s go.