The opening of the Alaska CargoPort has been a boon to the local economy in Anchorage. The $22 million facility opened in 2000 and is operating at near capacity. The 105,000-sq.-ft. (9,754-sq.-m.) warehouse and trans-loading facility has enough tarmac space to park six wide-body 747-jet freighters. Northwest Cargo, the largest operator at the facility, increased its operation capacity from four jets to five in May. The company has options for additional expansions. Officials at the CargoPort have planned an additional $15 million expansion that would double warehouse and office space. Goods can move duty-free through Anchorage, with the existence of a Foreign Trade Zone.
      Alaskan officials are hopeful gas and oil exploration in the Alaskan Natural Wildlife Reserve (ANWR) will spur additional business growth. A large amount of marine barge activity from Seattle or Vancouver brings heavy equipment to points near Anchorage in Whittier. Traffic has increased markedly. "Our barges are basically full," says Jon Burdick, COO of Alaska Railbelt Marine. Burdick's firm transports equipment to Whittier, where rail cars are then placed on railroad track for the trip north to the field. "What we're shipping on the rail barges is a lot of bulk chemicals, bulk product and equipment that serves the oil and construction industry," he adds.