Alaska Shippers Face Fuel Surcharge Hikes

0:00Three major shipping companies serving Alaska are jacking up their fuel surcharges as prices climb due to global energy chaos. Alaska Marine lines is bumping theirs from 11% to 18.5% starting April 5th, hitting spots like Haynes, Skagway, and Juno. Matzen follows on April 12th with a jump from 20.5% to 26.5% for routes to Anchorage, Kodiak, and Dutch. Harbor. Tote Maritime already raised theirs from 25 to 27% late last month. This all stems from wild swings in marine fuel costs tied to middle east tensions and supply snarls. Companies say it's a direct hit from those disruptions keeping oil prices high and they expect it to stick around. Local businesses feel the pinch hard. Mike Healey at Skagway Brewing Company says they've dealt with cost hikes since 2020 from tariffs to pandemic woes, and now this means, reprinting menus, maybe 10 cents more per burger, but it adds up over 1000 sold.

1:03Glinda Gilbert from Haynes Home Building agrees, noting it'll force price bumps on hardware as oil stays pricey. These changes ripple beyond Southeast Alaska, affecting freight to remote spots statewide. Small outfits rely on regular shipments brace for thinner margins or passing costs to customers. With fuel volatility showing no quick end, Alaska shippers and locals gear up for tougher times ahead, watching global markets for any relief. That's the story for today. Anchorage News Today, driven by AI. I'm Cory with the story.