See firsthand how clothes, food, cars and other consumer goods travel to Alaska.
The Port of Tacoma will host a free bus tour June 25 that takes visitors aboard an Alaska-bound ship at the Totem Ocean Trailer Express, Inc. (TOTE) terminal.
TOTE is a Federal Way-based private shipping company that has served Tacoma and Alaska since 1975.
Shipping line staff members will help narrate the tour as the bus boards one of the two TOTE ships that sail every week between Tacoma and Anchorage.
About 70 percent of the goods shipped to Alaska cross Tacoma docks first. This trade was worth $3.5 billion last year.
Tour visitors will see a ship inside and out and hear how the cargo was loaded to make the three-day trip north.
Tour details: Friday, June 25, from 3:30 p.m. to about 5 p.m. It begins and ends at the Fabulich Center, 3600 Port of Tacoma Rd.
Space is limited for this free tour, and reservations are required. Children age 6 and older are welcome. Photo identification is required for passengers 17 years of age and older. Reserve your free seat by calling (253) 383-9463 or e-mailing bustours@portoftacoma.com.
About the Port of Tacoma
The Port of Tacoma is an economic engine for South Puget Sound, with more than 43,000 family-wage jobs in Pierce County and 113,000 jobs across Washington state connected to Port activities. A major gateway to Asia and Alaska, the Port of Tacoma is among the largest container ports in North America. The Port is also a major center for bulk, breakbulk and project/heavy-lift cargoes, as well as automobiles and trucks.
Contact: Tara Mattina, Port of Tacoma, (253) 428-8674