Unalaska, AK – The new cold storage facility on Ballyhoo road is entering the next stage of construction. DH Ports is now partnering with Kloosterboer, a Dutch company that specializes in modern cold storage facilities, and they will begin construction of the cold storage building on March 15. DH Ports Vice President Per Brautaset says the facility aims to raise the value of fisheries products from all types of vessels and processors.

"The facility here will be somewhat unique in that we have the ability to develop it specifically for the needs of fishing vessels, large and small, here in Dutch Harbor, which is long overdue in our opinion."

The fully automated system will bring the products indoors to properly package, label, and store them. This will reduce the chance of the product being damaged by the weather or by mud. An increased product value also means an increase in taxes paid to the city. Brautaset said the automation system will streamline the packaging and sorting process and reduce labor for boat crews. The facility will also reduce waste on the island by moving away from using pallets for transportation.

"Pallets are a big nuisance. They collect a lot of dirt and they aren't quite sanitary. So we're looking at a system called slip sheets,'" Brautset explained. "When the product comes in it will be put on these slip sheets instead of pallets, that will be able to be handled properly in the cold storage and when shipped out either by container or by other refrigeration vessels."

The company is also trying to make the facility greener by using ammonia-powered cold storage rather than Freon and, in phase two, they will start refining and burning fish oil from at-sea processors and other sources.

During phase one, the facility will hold up to 25,000 tons of product and will employ 20 skilled workers. Phase two will be shaped to local customers' needs. Brautaset says they hope to attract customers from around the region, including Bristol Bay and the Pribilofs.

DH Ports recently chose to partner with Kloosterboer for the project because of their history in the industry they began developing cold storage facilities in 1925 and because of their current networks.

"Notably they are very close to the receivers of most of the products coming from Dutch Harbor, especially in Europe where you are linked to the likes of Nestle and the Unilever group that purchase a great deal of cod and pollock and other products from Unalaska."

So far, DH Ports has cut deeper into Ballyhoo to realign the road and to make room for the cold storage building. They also built a 1,000 foot long, deep water dock. Kloosterboer hopes to be moved in to the current Alaska Ship Supply building by mid-May and have the first phase of the cold storage open by July 4, 2009. The company has a 100 year lease for the land and the new facility will be built to last at least 40 years.