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Tourism officials hope to promote more Portland cruising
Tourism officials in relatively tiny Portland, Maine are hoping a new pier that can accommodate the world’s largest ships will lead to swelling cruise business.
The 1,200-foot Ocean Gateway Pier II will enable two large cruise ships to berth in the harbor at the same time, making the city more competitive in attracting cruise ships, Mayor Nicholas Mavodones.
It is the largest ship's berth in Maine, according to Boston.com
"For us it means we can have twice the number of ships and twice the number of passengers and crew wandering about our streets," said Mavodones.
The new berth has been discussed for more than a decade and was built at a cost of about US$6 million. It is part of the city's long-term strategy to build up the cruise ship business, according to Boston.com
The city didn't have any cruise ships come to port until the early 1990s. But in recent years, Portland, New England and eastern Canada have been growing in popularity among cruise lines.
Sixty-five ships carrying a record 92,000 passengers are scheduled to call on Portland this year.
Ships in the past used nearby Maine State Pier for years. But the new pier has deeper water able to accommodate the mega-ships.
longer and has deeper waters around it, meaning it can accommodate even the so-called "mega-ships," giving rise to Pier II sometimes being called the "mega-berth."
The new pier opened for business when the Enchantment of the Seas visited the port.
By David Wilkening
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