Alaska Freight Forwarders: Ocean and Air Freight to Anywhere in Alaska

Shipping freight to Alaska isn’t like shipping in the Lower 48. Most communities sit off the road system, ocean freight must move on Jones Act vessels, and weather can reshape a schedule overnight. As Jones Act freight specialists since 1991, we plan around all of it, so your freight arrives when your business needs it.

Ship by ocean, barge, air, or truck from any U.S. origin. We handle pickup, consolidation, linehaul, and door-to-door delivery across Alaska with one quote and one point of contact. Whether it’s a single pallet to Fairbanks or a full container to Anchorage, you get a true freight partner, not just another Alaska shipping company.

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Since 1991

MOVING FREIGHT

Top 100 3PL

INBOUND LOGISTICS

3 Modes

OCEAN · AIR · TRUCK

OUR PROCESS

How Freight Shipping to Alaska Works

1.

Pickup, Lower 48

From your supplier, warehouse, port, or job site, anywhere in the U.S.

2.

Consolidation

If needed, freight is consolidated in the SeaTac area.

3.

Freight Shipped

By ocean, barge, air, or the Alaska Highway, matched to your timeline and budget.

4.

Final Mile, Statewide

Delivered to your door through our vetted Alaska delivery partners, with white-glove delivery options.

Full-Service Alaska Freight Forwarders

Less-than-container load

Ocean freight: Less-than Container Load

Consolidated shipping. Pay only for the space you use.

Ocean Freight: Full Container Load (FCL)

Full container loads from any U.S. origin.

Less-than-container load

Air freight

Next-day and expedited options when time matters.

forklift

Pickup & Delivery

Trucking at origin, door delivery across Alaska.

Warehousing & Distribution

: Storage and staging in the Lower 48 for ongoing Alaska supply.

Project Cargo

Oversized, heavy, and multi-shipment projects.

WHY APPROVED FREIGHT FORWARDERS

One Team From Origin to Your Alaska Door

1. Jones Act specialists since 1991.

Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and Puerto Rico are our core markets. We know the sailings, ports, and rules.

 

2. Final mile, planned before pickup.

We line up vetted Alaska delivery partners before your freight ships, so it never stalls at the port

 

3. One point of contact.

No juggling multiple carriers. We book every mode and manage every handoff.

Where We Deliver in Alaska

  • Anchorage & Eagle River; JBER
  • Wasilla & Palmer
  • Kenai, Soldotna, Homer & Seward
  • Fairbanks & North Pole
  • Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka
  • Kodiak; North Slope
  • Rural & off-road communities via air or barge

Pricing

What Does It Cost to Ship Freight to Alaska?

Rates depend on six factors. The fastest way to lower your cost is to consolidate and book around sailing schedules. We’ll recommend the most cost-effective route.

Mode

Ocean is the cheapest; air is fastest.

Weight & Size

Priced by actual or dimensional weight.

Origin

Distance from pickup to the gateway port.

Destination

Road-connected cities cost less than off-road.

Trusted by Businesses Nationwide

Their rates have been consistently lower than what I would have had to pay if I chose shipment from the manufacturer.

– Joanne K.

It is rare to have the type of quality and consistency of communication from a logistics company that we get from Approved.

– Jocelyn V.

When we experienced delays at the port, they went above and beyond to expedite deliveries and help us meet our customers’ guarantees.

– Lena J.

Frequently Asked Questions About Alaska Freight

Freight moves to and around Alaska by a couple of different modes:

Within each of these modes, you’ll find a few different providers who specialize in Alaska freight.

Which mode you ultimately select will depend on the commodity you’re shipping and the origin and destination for your freight, among other factors. Our Alaska freight experts would be happy to put together the right plan for your Alaska freight. Just reach out to start a complimentary quote.

Yes, Alaska Airlines offers cargo services to and from Alaska, along with Swissport, Delta, and United. Other airlines also fly cargo to Alaska in the belly of passenger planes.

By the way, did you know that Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) is one of the busiest cargo airports in the world? Its location makes it an ideal stop-over point for flights coming from Asia, so it frequently ranks in the top 10 internationally. Domestically, only Memphis (MEM), a FedEx hub, outranks it.

For small parcels, USPS, FedEx, UPS, and DHL all ship to Alaska.

For freight, there are a number of ocean, air, truck, and rail providers that move freight to Alaska. Which one is right for your shipment depends on what you’re shipping—and where. Reach out to one of our team members for a quote. We’re happy to go into the specifics with you.

Moving items to Alaska presents more challenges than shipping within the lower 48. For starters, only 18% of Alaska’s communities are accessible by road. Additionally, only about 31% of Alaska’s public roads are paved. Add to that the harsh operating conditions, especially during winter—and the higher operating costs that providers in Alaska have to deal with—and it starts to become clear why shipping to Alaska can be an expensive undertaking.

Federal limits restrict a gross vehicle weight (which includes the tractor, trailer, and the load) to 80,000 pounds, with a 20,000-pound weight limit on a single axle and 34,000 pounds on a tandem axle group. Loads in excess of these limits require special permits.

Ultimately, this usually means the maximum weight limit for an FTL load is usually around 42,000-45,000 pounds.

You can ship as many as 24-26 pallets in an FTL shipment. If you’re looking for assistance in making your full truckload shipments as cost effective as possible, reach out to one of our experts. We’ll connect you with an efficient solution that makes the most of each truckload you send.

It’s usually most efficient to ship your freight LTL when you’re moving as many as six pallets. However, to know for sure, reach out to one of our experts. We’ll take into account the freight you’re shipping, your preferred timeline, and your budget, and we’ll put together the right solution.

While LTL shipping may be more expensive on a per-unit basis, it’s an economical choice when you don’t have a full load. In other words, the absolute cost of an LTL shipment is lower, even though the per-unit cost may be higher. If you’re looking for ways to reduce your freight bills, our experts would be happy to take a holistic look at your transportation needs and craft a solution.

Drayage involves moving freight over limited distances, often from a port to a warehouse or from one mode of transportation to another (seaport to rail spur, for example). In contrast, over-the-road freight transportation (FTL or LTL) can involve much longer distances and utilizes a variety of equipment.

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Talk to an Alaska Freight Expert