Seward Greenhouse Wins Royal Caribbean’s First Port Partners Award
The greenhouse modules with solar power are expected to raise Exit Glacier Greenhouses’ output from seven hundred pounds in 2026 to four thousand pounds within a year.
Royal Caribbean Group has selected Exit Glacier Greenhouses, a Seward, Alaska, produce business founded by Sydney Singer, as the first winner of its Port Partners Small Business Accelerator Award. The award provides $20,000, ongoing mentorship and exposure through the Port Partners network after a 2026 Seward cohort of 15 participants completed the accelerator.
The award coincides with the opening of Seward’s new Dale R. and Carol Ann Lindsey Alaska Railroad Terminal, where Royal Caribbean Group has a 30-year use commitment.
Grant backs a local food-supply business
Exit Glacier Greenhouses grows produce year-round. “I look forward to growing my business to ensure that all 2,900 Seward residents can have access to much-needed fruits and vegetables for a healthy diet,” Singer said.
Singer said the accelerator also provided business skills, connections with other entrepreneurs and access to mentors.
Graduating participants received three credits through the University of Alaska system and presented business plans to community leader judges during a live event.
Port Partners cohort drew Southcentral Alaska entrepreneurs
The 2026 program brought together 15 participants from across Southcentral Alaska for workshops and coaching sessions covering business planning, financial management, marketing, community engagement and sustainable growth strategies. The cohort also received one-on-one guidance from local entrepreneurs and industry professionals.
The Seward program was supported by Alaska Vocational Technical Center, the University of Alaska, the Alaska Small Business Development Center, the Seward Chamber of Commerce and the City of Seward. Royal Caribbean Group runs Port Partners as part of its SEA the Future platform.
“The Port Partners program is about investing in local entrepreneurs who are creating opportunities, supporting economic resilience, and helping communities thrive,” said Preston Carnahan, Royal Caribbean Group’s vice president of destination development for Alaska, the West Coast and Asia-Pacific.
Award came as Seward opened its new cruise terminal
Royal Caribbean Group also used the terminal opening in Seward to celebrate the Port Partners cohort. The Dale R. and Carol Ann Lindsey Alaska Railroad Terminal replaces dock facilities dating to the mid-1960s and is part of a $137 million project.
The facility is adjacent to the Alaska Railroad station, supporting onward travel to Anchorage, Fairbanks and other Alaska communities for cross-gulf cruise passengers. Seward is scheduled to host more than 100 cruise calls this summer, carrying about 190,000 passengers.
The terminal modernization includes a shore power system developed through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Ports Grant. Excess winter power is expected to be stored in battery systems that can serve as backup power for Seward during severe winter weather.
For Exit Glacier Greenhouses, the next step is developing six pre-designed, crop-specific greenhouse modules with solar power. The upgraded infrastructure is expected to raise output from an anticipated 700 pounds of seasonal food in 2026 to 4,000 pounds within a year.
