| Port of Portland | |
|---|---|
 Ocean Gateway International Marine Passenger Terminal, the largest passenger ship terminal in the Port of Portland | |
 Interactive map of Port of Portland | |
  Port of Portland Location in USA | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| Location | Portland,Cumberland County,ME |
| Coordinates | 43°39′00″N70°15′04″W / 43.65°N 70.251°W /43.65; -70.251 |
| UN/LOCODE | USPWM[1] |
| Details | |
| No. ofberths | 15[2] |
| No. ofpiers | 11[2] |
| Draft depth | Depth 48 feet (15 m)[2] |
| Harbor Master | Kevin J. Battle |
| Statistics | |
| Annualcontainer volume | 22,325 container units (2019) |
| Website www | |
ThePort of Portland is a seaport located inPortland, Maine. It is the second-largest[3] tonnage seaport inNew England as well as one of the largest oil ports on the East Coast (the second-largest prior to 2016[4]). It is the primary American port of call for Icelandic shipping companyEimskip.[5]
There are nine terminals in the port according to the Maine Port Authority, a statewide agency that oversees Maine's commercial marine facilities.[6] Additionally there are two passenger facilities, theOcean Gateway International Marine Passenger Terminal and theCasco Bay Ferry Terminal.
The majority of Portland's non-passenger terminals are forpetroleum products, especially thePortland–Montreal pipeline, which has gradually reduced its capacity since 2010.[7] Container shipping through Portland has increased considerably over that same period.[8]
100 cruise ships docked in Portland in 2019, making it Maine's second-largest cruise ship port behindBar Harbor.[9] A regional ferry service,Casco Bay Lines, also operates out of the Port of Portland.
Maritime trade has always been important in Portland, as the name reflects. By 1806, Portland was the sixth-largest American port,[10] andFort Preble was constructed to defend it, forming the heart of theHarbor Defenses of Portland. During theAmerican Civil War, theConfederate States Navyunsuccessfully targeted the Port of Portland; this was the only major action ever seen by Fort Preble, which was partially disarmed duringWorld War I. DuringWorld War II,Battery Steele was constructed in Portland onPeaks Island, making Fort Preble obsolete. Battery Steele itself was abandoned after the war ended.
From 1970 to 2008 the Port of Portland was connected by a seasonal (summer only) international ferry service toYarmouth, Nova Scotia.Lion Ferry operated the first vessels on this route,MSPrince of Fundy (1970–76),MSBolero (1973–76), andMSCaribe (1976–81).CN Marine operated the MVMarine Evangeline from 1978 to 1982. Prince of Fundy Cruises and laterScotia Prince Cruises operated the MSScotia Prince from 1983 to 2004.
Bay Ferries began operating the high speed catamaranHSCThe Cat on the Portland-Nova Scotia route in 2006 using the newly constructedOcean Gateway International Marine Passenger Terminal for the 2008 and 2009 seasons. This service was canceled after the 2009 season.[11]
Icelandic shipping companyEimskip began container service between Europe and Portland in 2013.[12] Between 2013 and 2019, container traffic in the Port of Portland nearly tripled.[13] The construction of a cold storage facility has been proposed several times, most recently in 2020, as a way to make the port more valuable for foreign trade.