Alaska rural ports update: investing in improvements.

• Author: White, Rindi
• Position: Special section: Transportation

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Alaska has more miles of coastline than all other U.S. states combined. So it s no surprise state and federal agencies spend millions of dollars each year investing in, improving and creating services for the boat-going public.

The rural port projects slated for work this year range from the relatively small--$330,000 is planned for an Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities project to install anodes on pilings in Petersburg to extend the life of the metal dock there--to projects that could change the path of maritime travel in Alaska.

Deep Draft Arctic Port

The State of Alaska and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Alaska District are jointly conducting a $3 million study to determine where to locate one large-scale project: a deep draft port that will serve possible increases in Arctic sea travel and accommodate resource extraction.

"Deep draft" is a term used to describe ports that can accommodate large vessels, such as big cargo ships. Typically it describes ports with more than 30 feet of clearance, or draft, below the water.

In 2010, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers held meetings around the state to discuss what navigational projects were needed at coastal communities throughout Alaska.

Stephen Boardman, chief of the civil project management branch at the Corps' Alaska District, says the study changed in 2011 at the request of Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell, who asked that the focus be narrowed to the need for an Arctic deep draft port. In examining the topic, Boardman says, a number of parameters needed to be agreed upon. What's the Arctic? What is "deep"? And perhaps most important, who is going to use a deep draft port?

"That's the area we're stumbling on right now," Boardman says. "It's premature for people to commit to a port. The (U.S.) Coast Guard has says on more than one occasion that they do not need a port today. The (U.S.) Navy says we do not need a port today."

Other groups--mining industry officials, other government agencies, oil companies--either says if one is needed they would build it themselves or, perhaps, use whatever port is available, Boardman says.

Large cargo shippers aren't necessarily looking at using Arctic shipping routes yet, he says, adding that there's no guarantee yet that the route will remain open, which makes it difficult to schedule shipments, a crucial factor for shippers.

For now, the state and Corps are collecting data about potential port locations and likely users. This year, Boardman says, participants will begin going from community to community to collect more information. Eleven communities were identified as possible hosts for the port, he says.

One challenge is whether the final location will have intermodal access. Can goods or materials made or mined in Alaska be shipped there by rail or truck?

Nome: A Top Contender

Nome is one of the top contenders. Mayor Denise Michels says the community already has a bustling harbor space and received $10 million from the Alaska Legislature this year to expand it, although that appropriation was awaiting the governor's signature at press time.

A recent surge in gold-mining interest means miners using suction dredges, machines that mine for gold under water, have flocked to Nome. The Alaska...