About Totem Ocean

Since setting sail as a one-ship company in 1975, Totem Ocean Trailer Express (Totem Ocean) has become the premier provider of ocean transportation service between the ports of Anchorage, Alaska and Tacoma, Washington.

Totem Ocean, a privately-owned Alaska corporation, operates a fleet of (RO/RO) cargo ships in addition to providing overland highway and intermodal connections throughout greater Alaska, Canada and the Lower 48.

Much like Alaska itself, Totem Ocean's journey to success has been marked by perseverance and resourcefulness in the face of a cyclical economy and challenging operating conditions.

We are a flexible, efficient and reliable company dedicated to serving the cargo transportation needs of Alaska and the Pacific Northwest through an attentive relationship with each customer.

What We Do

Totem Ocean's Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro/Ro) cargo ship operation provides fast, on-time service between the Port of Tacoma, Washington and the Port of Anchorage, Alaska. Ro/Ro service differs from container ships in that cargo is not lifted, but quickly driven onto and off the vessel via tractor-trailer, van, or flatbed. Automobiles are also driven directly onto and off the ship. This allows for expedited delivery to the customer because it eliminates costly and time-consuming transloading, thereby saving time and money.

The distance between the ports of Tacoma and Anchorage is 1,450 nautical miles, with a transit time of approximately 66 hours, from port to port. Vessels sail Northbound twice a week on Thursdays and Saturdays and Southbound on Sundays and Tuesdays. See Tacoma/Anchorage Sailing Schedule.

 Additionally Totem Ocean provides for overland highway and rail connections throughout greater Alaska, the Lower 48 states, and Canada. In 1993, Totem Ocean formed its own Alaskan line-haul trucking service which delivers directly to destinations such as Fairbanks, Valdez, and the Kenai Peninsula. Totem Ocean's trailer on a flat car service expedites shipping to Fairbanks through the use of intermodal connections from Anchorage.