Valdez · Cordova · Whittier · Prince William Sound

Prince William Sound Crane Certification Prep, From Valdez to Cordova

The Chugach Census Area is young on paper. On January 2, 2019, the Census Bureau split the old Valdez-Cordova Census Area in two, giving the Prince William Sound coast its own unit and placing the interior basin in the new Copper River Census Area. What remained here was 7,102 people in 2020, spread across Valdez, Cordova, Whittier and the villages of Chenega and Tatitlek. As a census area it belongs to the Unorganized Borough, with no borough government above the cities. Each town runs on a different economy, and each needs lifting crews for different reasons.

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Valdez: the end of the pipeline

Valdez is the southern terminus of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, and Alyeska Pipeline Service Company operates the marine terminal across the bay from town. A 2009 state labor report found about 18 percent of Valdez jobs in transportation and warehousing, roughly three times the statewide share, a direct reflection of the terminal. Maintenance on tanks, piping, valves and power equipment keeps contractors and their cranes coming back year after year.

Industrial sites like this expect documented qualifications and detailed lift plans. Operators who can talk through load charts, ground bearing and critical-lift criteria in a pre-job meeting tend to get called back.

Cordova: a fishing town without a highway

Cordova brings in about 90 percent of the census area's commercial seafood earnings, most of it salmon, according to a 2016 state labor report. Lifting there centers on harbor work, processor maintenance and freight. Because Cordova has no road link to the rest of the state, everything heavy arrives by water, so the equipment on hand has to cover a wide range of jobs and the operators running it need broad, solid fundamentals.

Harbor improvements, float replacements and processor upgrades tend to come in bursts tied to grants and the fishing calendar, so local operators often go months between big lifts. Refreshing the fundamentals before a job starts, rather than relying on memory, is a habit worth building.

Whittier: gateway to the Sound

State planners describe Whittier as the gateway and transportation link to Prince William Sound for Southcentral residents and thousands of visitors. Freight, ferries and harbor traffic move through a narrow waterfront, and crane work there means tight swing radius, congested laydown areas and frequent coordination with marine traffic.

Chenega and Tatitlek, the two smaller villages in the census area, depend on boats and aircraft for nearly everything, and when a building or utility project lands there the crane usually comes on the same barge as the materials. Crews on those jobs work with little backup, so knowing the inspection and setup routine thoroughly is part of doing the job safely.

Rules that can change at the waterline

Construction and maintenance on land generally follow the federal crane rule as AKOSH enforces it. Loading vessels, longshoring and work on the water are generally federal OSHA's under the maritime standards. There is no Alaska crane license to apply for, so the accredited certification is what you carry from job to job. More background is in our Alaska requirements overview.

Courses that fit Sound work

Questions people ask

Why do some older documents say Valdez-Cordova Census Area?

That was the name until January 2019, when it was divided into the Chugach and Copper River census areas. Older reports and maps still use the former name.

Can I prepare in Cordova and test somewhere else?

Yes. Study happens online, and many Sound residents travel to Anchorage for a practical, either by ferry and road or by air. Check the certifying body's schedule before you book.

Do pipeline terminal contractors want more than an operator card?

Many industrial sites also expect rigging and signal qualifications, site orientations and their own safety training. The contractor will list exactly what it requires.

Can our harbor department enroll a few employees together?

Yes. Cities, harbors and contractors can enroll several workers through the enrollment form, and an advisor will reply with next steps.

Courses suited to local work

  • Mobile Crane

    Study for the NCCCO mobile crane written exams on your own schedule, from a rough-terrain hydro in a Mat-Su subdivision to a crawler on a Kenai Peninsula bridge or a crane barged into a village for the summer.

  • Rigger II

    Study for the NCCCO Rigger Level II written exam: estimating weights, finding centers of gravity and building multi-leg rigs, for Alaska riggers who plan non-routine lifts on their own.

  • Articulating Crane

    Self-paced study for the NCCCO articulating crane written exams, with or without a winch, aimed at Alaska drivers who run a knuckleboom on a delivery truck.

  • Signalperson

    Prepare for the NCCCO Signalperson written exam with lessons on standard hand signals, voice commands and radio discipline, for Alaska crews who direct cranes in dark, cold and noisy conditions.

Communities in Chugach Census Area

Neighboring areas

Line up your crane certification prep from anywhere in Alaska

Let us know the card you need — operator, rigger or signal person — and the community you work out of, whether that's on the road system or off it. An enrollment advisor writes back with a matching course and a plan for getting your written and practical exams on the calendar.

  • Lessons open around the clock, on any phone, tablet or laptop
  • Practice questions shaped like the NCCCO written tests
  • Help mapping out where and when to take your hands-on practical

Ask about enrollment

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