Three Biggest Challenges When Shipping to Remote Alaska

Imagine a place surrounded by rough terrain, snow, or ice that isn’t connected to a major road system. Imagine the only modes of transportation include airplanes, boats, snowmobiles, or dogsleds. Now imagine you need to get cargo delivered there. Doesn’t sound like an easy process at all. Add in unpredictable and extreme weather, and it’s even more of an obstacle. Here are some of the biggest challenges when shipping to remote parts of Alaska.

 

Terrain

At over twice the size of Texas, Alaska is much bigger than most people realize. Mountains, volcanoes, and glaciers make up some of the Alaskan terrains.  Remote villages lucky enough to have road access have to contend with landslides that cut them off completely. Getting cargo to the most rugged, remote areas can be challenging.

 

Weather

Temperatures can range from -60 in winter to over 80 degrees in summer. Blizzards, strong winds, and floods are common in many areas, complicating shipping efforts. Ice can be a significant problem, as icy roads or runways can make receiving shipments nearly impossible.

 

Roads

As many as 80% of Alaskan communities are not connected to the highway system, making it a daunting task to ship to these remote areas. For example, Chignik, which contains three very remote villages, has no roads connecting any of the villages and can only be reached by water or air. Some remote areas only have access to the highway system during warmer months and are cut off during the winter when the roads are covered in snow and ice.

 

Despite all the challenges, you can count on Alaska Air Forwarding to get your cargo to the most remote parts of Alaska. We have the knowledge and connections to get your freight in and out of remote towns all over Alaska. Call us at 800.426.0004 or get a quote online.