International shipping and logistics giant Maersk has confirmed it will cease transpacific operations in Alaska by February. Terminals in Dutch Harbor and Kodiak are on the chopping block.
The Cape Sorel, a Denmark-flagged container ship, is slated for a final westbound voyage out of Dutch Harbor Feb. 11. That’s around the start of the busy pollock “A” season, which runs from mid-January to the spring.
Spokespeople for Maersk did not respond to calls or emails for comment. A company statement describes pulling out of the Alaska market as an effort to boost “product offerings and maintain reliability in the network.”
The news of Maersk’s pullout comes as the Bering Sea pollock fishery is getting a 6% increase in its total catch limit in 2025. Much of the pollock that moves from the United States goes through Dutch Harbor, which is the largest American fishing port by volume. Only New Bedford, Massachusetts is larger in value.
