Port MacKenzie is growing. Port Director David Griffin believes the next several years are important for the future of the port.
The port is relatively young. It was established in 2000. It handles barge traffic. It moves construction equipment and supplies to communities throughout western Alaska.
The port receives shipments of salt from Mexico for winter road maintenance. It imports cement from Vietnam.
Griffin says the greatest opportunity for the port is completion of the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension.
The 32-mile rail connection would connect Port MacKenzie to the Alaska Railroad near Houston. This would open up transportation opportunities for the Interior.
The state has invested about $184 million in the rail project. Twenty-five miles of railroad embankment and six bridges are constructed. Most of the land acquisitions, environmental work, and permitting are completed.
Just seven miles of embankment, railroad ties, track, and other finishing work are needed to complete the rail connection.
It will cost about $300 million to finish the project. The Alaska Railroad has applied for $240 million in federal funding. The remaining $60 million must come from matching contributions.
The borough has identified about $29 million in potential in-kind contributions That leaves about $30 million to secure.
Griffin thinks that the rail connection could support mineral development throughout the interior of Alaska.
One potential customer has emerged.
Alaska Range Resources is pursuing a pilot antimony processing facility at Port MacKenzie. Antimony is a critical mineral for electronics and military applications. The facility would process ore into concentrate. This would create a new industrial activity at the port.
The port has thousands of acres available for industrial development. Much of that land is undeveloped. Data centers are a possibility. However, high electricity costs in Alaska make it difficult to justify building them here.
Alternative energy opportunities, including wind, solar, and tidal power, are being explored. Tidal power development faces challenges due to sediment, ice, and marine wildlife.
Meanwhile, Griffin is concentrating on practical improvements.
Ice prevents normal barge operations during the winter. A new barge haul-out ramp provides operators with a place to store their vessels safely for the winter.
The borough plans to update the port master plan and subdivide industrial property. This will make land more accessible to prospective businesses.
Another opportunity is cooperation with the Port of Alaska in Anchorage. The Anchorage port faces years of modernization and construction. Port MacKenzie could help accommodate maritime activity during the construction.
Griffin says the borough is focusing on achievable improvements at the port while pursuing larger development opportunities.
He says Port MacKenzie is still developing. It has considerable room to grow.
Griffin believes the port has the potential to become an important part of transportation and the industrial economy in Alaska. The port continues to improve infrastructure. It is developing stronger connections to Interior Alaska, and other business opportunities.
Griffin discussed the Port with Mike Chmielewski on Big Cabbage last week. For the full interview, go to Big Cabbage Radio, select podcasts, then Valley Edition.
Catch interviews with the two candidates in the contested Palmer City Council Race on Big Cabbage Radio on Wednesday at 8 a.m. and repeating 5 p.m. The interviews with Bruce Brown and Aundra Jackson will be posted under News on bigcabbageradio.org by noon today.
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Mike Chmielewski reported this Page Two article and yours truly, Lee Henrikson produced it. If you have an idea for a Page 2 topic, please email us at page2@radiofreepalmer.org.
That’s it for today and the news on Page Two on Monday, September 28, 2026.
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