Alaska: tied to the Pacific Northwest: link an important and vital one.

• Author: Colby, Kent L.

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"I'm from Alaska," I tell the checkout clerk, showing my Alaska driver's license and a credit card. Alaskans, who occasionally shop on a trip to or through the state of Washington, are always welcomed with a smile--and, oft times, Alaska "discounts," such as special rates at Seattle/Tacoma and Bellingham hotels, as well as sales tax deductions. Alaska residents shopping in and around Puget Sound may constitute a drop in the retail trade bucket of the area, but the economic bond between Washington state and Alaska continues to grow.

In fact, Alaska license plates are not uncommon in the Seattle area. The country's 14th (Arbitron rankings) largest market is bolstered by the infusion of Alaska retail dollars. The need to import a wide range of goods and services keeps Alaskans well aware of the link between the two states. With the West Coast/Pacific Rim push to increase international trade, sometimes businesses in the Puget Sound area forget the many benefits they enjoy by trading with Alaska. The 2004 study, "Ties that Bind," showed how the region reaps more than $4 billion as a result of trade with the 49th state. That equates to more than 103,000 jobs, with the number growing by more than 1,000 jobs a year. The Seattle-area ports and airport are the connecting lifeblood arteries to Alaska. Consequently, Puget Sound serves as the receiving end and hub for Alaska's resource-based industries. Everything from petroleum and forest products, seafood, and manufactured goods leaving Alaska are routed through the Puget Sound on their way to the Lower 48 and to foreign markets, including Asia and Europe. Let's add Alaska's world-class micro beers to the list of goods receiving world recognition.

The opportunities for trade continue to grow as Alaska's economy and population similarly expand.

SHARED WATERWAYS: CARGO

It is a long road to the Last Frontier. But that road is shortest from Puget Sound to Nichols Passage and the Gulf of Alaska, as emphasized by trade numbers from Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce. The Port of Tacoma just announced plans to build a $300 million, 168-acre container terminal to be leased to Yusen Terminal NYK Line). A news release from the port of Tacoma highlights an Alaska tie: "In addition to building the YTTI terminal, the port will develop a redesigned terminal with expansion capabilities for Totem Ocean Trailer Express Inc. (TOTE), a major domestic shipping line serving the Alaska market. TOTE has called at the Port of Tacoma since 1976." TOTE operates a fleet of roll-on/ roll-off (RO/RO) cargo ships from Tacoma to Anchorage. In August, the privately owned company announced its completion of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14401:2004-certification process for environmental management standards to complement its ISO certification for quality management systems (9000 series), which it has held since 1998.

This new certification follows TOTE's acceptance of the Tacoma Environmental Business Award received from Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce in April 2007. "We've been focusing on waste reduction and energy consumption for the past year and we feel very heartened at the fruition of our efforts," says TOTE President and Chief Operating Officer Bill Deaver. "We're serious about our environmental practices and we intend to deliver on our promise of environmental...