Recent Alaska Shipping News

Air pollution has become a clear problem in Anchorage it has led to a demand for a reduction in air pollution. The Anchorage market is seeking the use of alternative fuel vehicles.  There are various vehicle options depending on what fuels are available in the Eagle River area.

These vehicles have both advantages and disadvantages. Anchorage car owners should research and have more knowledge about them before purchasing a vehicle that uses alternative fuel.

Flex Fuel Vehicles

Flex fuel vehicles can run on gasoline or on a combination of both ethanol and gasoline. Ethanol is made from corn, so flex fuel vehicles lessen our dependency on fossil fuels. These vehicles have lower exhaust emissions than gasoline-powered vehicles which is less harmful. In Eagle River E85 is less expensive than regular gasoline.

Diesel

Diesel engines are common in Alaska and the great fuel economy is beneficial. Diesel fuel can be made from vegetable oil and other renewable sources. A diesel fuel made from algae will soon be on the market in Eagle River.

Natural Gas

Natural gas is less expensive than gasoline in Anchorage and burns more cleanly. There are special pumps that can be installed in a home gas line that can be used to fuel your vehicle. The disadvantage is the lower fuel efficiency and lack of refueling stating in Alaska.

 Hydrogen

The appeal in using Hydrogen is that its exhaust is composed of water vapor. Hydrogen represents a clean-burning fuel. However hydrogen vehicles won’t come into widespread use until refueling stations become available here in Anchorage and throughout Alaska.

Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicles are great for the environment. However the wont be widely used until research is done to improve battery life. They are easy to recharge, since they can be plugged in at home, but there are many researchers working on improving the battery technology in these vehicles.

 Hybrids

Hybrids uses both gas and diesel engine and has an electric motor. They have become one of the most successful alternative fuel vehicles in Alaska. Full-hybrid vehicles rely on the electric motor for power, but the gas or diesel engine generates power for the battery.  While it still consumes fossil fuels, it uses less of them than a standard automobile, and also reduces harmful pollutants. It also avoids the common issues all electric vehicles face.

There are numerous alternative fuel vehicles throughout the Eagle River area today, and more are now being developed.

Kelley Blue Book recently listed the ten most affordable cars. Although many have low sticker prices, their considered most affordable because of their resale values, fuel economy and costs to insure.

2014 Hyundai Accent
Price: $14,645 – $16,395
Fuel Economy: 27 mpg City, 38 mpg Highway

The Hyundai Accent is a practical buy because it combines a low starting price with great fuel economy and a comfortable interior. The Accent is available in several trims: GS or SE on the hatchback and GLS on the four-door sedan. A six-speed manual transmission is standard; a six-speed automatic transmission is optional.

2014 Toyota Prius c
Price: $19,080 – $23,360
Fuel Economy: 53 mpg City, 46 mpg Highway

The Toyota Prius c has a higher price than most of the other cars on this list, but it makes up for it with fuel savings and reliability.The Prius c is available in four trim levels: Prius c One, Prius c Two, Prius c Three and Prius c Four. All trim levels employ Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive, a hybrid technology that unites a 1.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder gasoline engine with a powerful electric drive motor to generate 99 combined horsepower.

2014 Toyota Corolla
Price: $16,800 – $21,300
Fuel Economy: 28 mpg City, 37 mpg Highway

The Toyota Corolla is one of the most popular small sedans on the market. People love it for its reliability, fuel economy and low starting price. The Corolla is available in four trims: L, LE, S, and new LE ECO. The powertrain for the L, LE, and S trims is a 132 horsepower, 1.8-liter dual VVT-I engine, matched with a six-speed manual, four-speed automatic, or new continuously variable transmission (CVTi-S). The LE ECO includes a 140 horsepower, 1.8-liter engine with Valvematic, combined with the CVTi-S transmission.

2014 Scion xD
Price: $15,920
Fuel Economy: 27 mpg City, 33 mpg Highway

The boxy Scion xD boasts a big cargo area, funky looks and good fuel economy for under $15,000.The xD is powered by a 128-hp 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, paired with either a standard five-speed manual or an available four-speed automatic transmission. Every xD is equipped with 16-inch wheels, air conditioning and cruise control, as well as power windows, exterior mirrors and door locks with remote keyless entry. The rear seats are split 60/40, and can be folded down flat for increased cargo carrying capacity; they can also be reclined up to ten degrees, as well as moved fore or aft up to six inches for increased leg room.

2014 Ford Fiesta
Price: $14,100 – $21,400
Fuel Economy: 28 mpg City, 36 mpg Highway

The Ford Fiesta is an attractive, economical and fun to drive little sedan or hatchback.The Fiesta is offered in three trims, S, SE, and a Titanium model. For 2014 there is the addition of the new ST trim to the hatchback lineup. Power comes from a 120-hp 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, mated to a five-speed manual transmission. An advanced six-speed PowerShift automatic transmission is optional. The ST gets a turbocharged, direct-injected version of the 1.6-liter that offers nearly 200-hp, mated to a six-speed manual transmission.

2014 Nissan Versa
Price: $11,990 – $16,890
Fuel Economy: 27 mpg City, 36 mpg Highway

The Nissan Versa is among the lowest-priced cars on the market right now. The Versa sedan is powered by a 109-hp 1.6-liter four cylinder engine that can be equipped with a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic.

2014 Toyota Yaris
Price: $14,430 – $16,540
Fuel Economy: 30 mpg City, 37 mpg Highway

The Yaris is yet another car from Toyota that made the Kelly blue book list. It’s not the most engaging thing to drive, but it’s spacious and reliable. The subcompact front-wheel drive Yaris is available as a three-door or five-door hatchback. The Yaris is powered by a 106 horsepower 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, which is mated to either a five-speed manual transmission, or a four-speed automatic.

2014 Scion iQ
Price: $15,665 – $17,850
Fuel Economy: 36 mpg City, 37 mpg Highway

The Scion iQ is a great car if you live in an urban area, as it can park almost anywhere, zip in and out of traffic and gets great fuel economy.
The iQ is powered by an efficient 94-hp 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine, paired with a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). Every iQ is equipped with 16-inch wheels, air conditioning, a leather shift knob and steering wheel and Bluetooth wireless connectivity, as well as power windows, exterior mirrors and door locks with keyless entry. The standard Pioneer sound system features HD Radio technology, 6.1-inch LCD touchscreen, Bluetooth audio streaming, MP3 capability and a USB port, along with a regular auxiliary jack for various types of portable music devices.

2014 Chevrolet Spark
Sticker Price: $12,170 – $16,385
Fuel Economy: 31 mpg City, 39 mpg Highway

The Chevrolet Spark is a cute, capable and practical small hatchback. The front-wheel drive Spark is offered in LS, 1LT, and 2LT trim levels. Power comes from an 85-hp 1.2-liter engine mated to a five-speed manual transmission, or a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Notable features offered include: MyLink infotainment system, heated front seats, air conditioning, power windows, SiriusXM satellite radio, Bluetooth, OnStar, cruise control, and leather wrapped steering wheel.

2014 Chevrolet Spark EV
Price: $26,685 – $27,010
Fuel Economy: NA

The Chevrolet Spark EV is the only electric car offered by General Motors. It can travel about 82 miles on a full charge.The front-wheel drive Spark EV is offered in 1LT, and 2LT trim levels. The power comes from a 100kW electric motor and 20kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Standard features include: MyLink infotainment system, heated front seats, automatic air conditioning, power windows, SiriusXM satellite radio, Bluetooth, OnStar and cruise control.

Federal safety regulators are working on technology that can be used in cars to detect alcohol by touch and breath, in order to reduce alcohol related accidents.

Nat Beuse an associate administrator for vehicle safety research at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said the alcohol detection technology is one of several systems his agency is studying.

Little is known on how it would work or which suppliers are involved, but Beuse believes an alcohol detection system integrated into vehicles would reduce the number of accidents and fatalities caused by drivers under the influence.

Throughout the last couple of years NHTSA has been making efforts to advocate technology solutions in response to the numerous accidents caused by drinking and driving. The agency states they were awarded a $2.2 million contract from safety products supplier Takata Corp. to develop a device that can measure a driver’s sobriety.

The technology is still being developed and hopes to be available for implementation by 2018.Federal officials are unaware as to how the device will work. If Alcohol is detected, the vehicle could possibly be disabled or an alert will be issued, the decision is still undetermined.

Recently automakers have been integrating touchscreens into vehicles for safety reasons. Tech companies have been designing safer ways for customers to stay connected to their favorite apps behind the wheel. Google’s Android is working on a platform called Android Auto that allows maps, music, and personal phone functions to be accessed through a larger screen in the car which is their response to safety precautions.

Patrick Brady, Google’s director for engineering of Android, says, “You get the best of both worlds. You get the connected apps and services on your smartphone, with the physical controls that were optimized for driving in your car.”

Many drivers struggle with their phones while driving since the screens are too small and the interface and menus are complicated. “We had to take an experience that was designed for a smartphone and break it down to its bare essentials,” Brady says.

Android Auto will encourage a more convenient driving experience. The system allows quick voice based access to Google maps, text messaging, and apps like Google Play Music. It will be fully compatible with the dials, knobs, and buttons on your dashboard and steering wheel. Since everything you see on screen is actually directed from your smartphone, Google says the in car experience will be even better.

Nissan has debuted a new kind of paint that repels dirt, dust, and even mud, keeping cars bright and shiny.

Nissan is looking to offer this paint as an aftermarket application so that practically any car can have the capability.

The paint is called Ultra-Ever Dry, it was created by UltraTech International Inc. According to Nissan, the paint is both hydrophobic and oleophobic meaning resistant to water and oils. This is achieved by creating a protective layer of air between the paint and the environment.

So Far Nissan Europe is the only company to explore Ultra-Ever Dry’s automotive applications. There’s no word on if or when it will be offered elsewhere.

Ford is recalling 100,610 vehicles in North America for safety defects.The company announced the six different recalls today.

• Their largest recall of 92,022 vehicles, involves the Ford Taurus, Lincoln MKS and Police Interceptor sedans. The improper seating of the right-hand halfshaft could disengage over time, making the vehicle inoperable. The vehicles also have potential to roll unexpectedly if they are parked without the parking brake on.
• 2,124 2014 Ford Escape SUVs. Their glass roofs have an improperly cured bond that could cause the roofs to leak or separate.
• 5,264 commercial stripped chassis. Corrosion in the electrical junction block could cause the vehicles to short circuit, and start a fire.
• 197 2014 Ford Fiesta subcompacts. Their fuel tanks could be missing an adhesive layer, which could cause a fuel leakage and can lead to a fire.
• 635 2014 F53 motor home stripped chassis. The brake calipers may be made incorrectly which could hinder braking performance.

Ford will notify owners affected by these recalls this month.

This week the federal government will start delaying payments for projects that are currently underway to fix the nation’s roads and bridges.

The federal Highway Trust Fund that finances transportation projects are running low on funds.If Congress doesn’t act soon the Department of Transportation may postpone payments to states. According to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, this could cause interruptions on highway construction this summer.

The delay on highway projects will cause traffic and conditions of roads throughout the U.S. The highway fund receives its revenue mainly from federal gas tax, however the fund spends more then it gains. Congress has contributed money from general U.S. tax revenue to the fund which is about $54 billion.

The federal agency will have less than $4 billion in its trust fund and will postpone same day reimbursements to states that have ongoing construction on highways. Instead states will now be receiving money in two installments one in early August and then again two weeks later when gas tax revenue comes in, according to the letters.

By the end of August the fund will diminish immensely and could be empty by early September if there is no bill.This will halt many projects and improvements of roads and highways. State governors and local transportation agencies must decide on the bill.

If projects and construction are postponed traffic and congestion will occur along major highways along with United States.

All port locations and offices will be closed July 4th.

Have a happy and safe weekend.

we will re-open on Monday the 7th!

The Port of Anchorage is under renovation by engineering firm CH2MHill. “Ninety percent of the goods in the state of Alaska pass through that port,” chariman Ernie Hall said. “It’s a key part of the infrastructure of the state and we’ve got to finish this project.” He stressed that this renovation was priority.

Hall and other assembly members will have to approve the appointment of CH2MHill to helm the project before any work can be done. The city has a pending lawsuit that alleges faulty port construction work was done by VECO, a company CH2MHill purchased after the work in question had been completed.

Senator Kevin Meyer said the main complications revolve around the funding of the project. Mayor Sullivan sent his capital budget to Juneau, asking the legislature for $250 million for the port renovation. The project is years behind schedule and hundreds of millions of dollars over budget.

“To ask the legislature for money right now is going to be difficult,” Meyer said. “Primarily because we already have so many projects that are in the works.”

The renovation is so important because the state relies on the port as its major import facility. The federal government also relies on the port for the military.

Senator Meyer hopes the project can find funding in desperate hopes to renovate the port.

http://www.ktuu.com/news/news/legislature-assembly-concerned-over-portrenovation/

An estimated $51 billion has been spent on the Sochi Winter Olympics, one of the priciest Olympics in history. A good percentage of this high cost this year is shipping the equipment and goods to the games in Russia.

From a logistical standpoint the Winter Olympics is a huge freight and shipping disaster. The goods needed will be shipped by sea, air, rail, and land and all transportation routes will be monitored by the Federal Customs Service.

Most of the goods include sporting equipment, firearms, hospitality goods, broadcast equipment, computer equipment, and awards. The logistical numbers for shipped freight are immense. To handle this huge shipment, the 2014 Sochi Organizing Committee has appointed an official freight forwarder for freight access to Sochi to ensure the efficiency of this transport.

Once all goods and equipment clear through customs, the freight is loaded on the Russian Railways train and shipped to one of two distribution centers based on the type of freight. This distribution center will be the central hub of all Olympics’ logistics operations. From the distribution centers, all the freight will be organized and available for use.  Every piece of freight requires shipping documents.

The huge amount of products needed to ship were difficult to manage and problems did arise, the Olympics had a rocky start, but a start nevertheless.