While the value of exports of Alaska’s products to Russia is low when compared to other countries, Russia is an important international market in the service arena. Alaska companies have expertise in providing support and engineering services for natural resource production or exploration. Specialized Alaska service companies will continue to find opportunities in the coming decades as Russia expands production of its significant natural resources, including the Sakhalin oil and gas deposits, Alaska’s proximity to the Russian Far East (RFE) stimulates educational, scientific and cultural exchanges. This interaction has a positive economic impact in the region and leads to a better understanding of social issues. It continues the dynamic history these two areas have shared.

The State of Alaska, Federal Aviation Administration, American Russian Center, and Peak Oilfield Services have collaborated for several years under a US Agency for International Development grant that has provided training programs in Alaska for visiting delegations and on site in some Russian Far East locations. The programs have included training in environmental management, airport management, and oil field support.

The U.S. Coast Guard’s 17th District and the North-Eastern Coast Guard Department (NECGD) of Russia’s Federal Security Service monitor the North Pacific Ocean and have maintained close contact since 1992. The two sides work together in a cooperative effort to protect marine biological resources and assure safety in convention areas of the Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea. They regularly exchange information on fisheries-related situations, including breaches in rules for marine product harvesting.