Portland Remains New England's Largest Tonnage Port

Nearly 40,000 cruise passengers and a dozen major cruise lines will visit Portland this summer, setting new records for the Port and pumping millions of dollars into the local economy.

Conservative estimates place the economic value of the international and domestic cruise passenger business to Portland in the $40 million range. Not only do passengers spend when on land; the cruise lines themselves purchase everything from galley provisions to laundry services to water while in port.

International passengers on the m/s Scotia Prince exceeded 170,000 passengers and 30,000 vehicles.

International trade operations at Maine's busiest container port continue at the International Marine Terminal, thanks to the Scotia Prince's continued relocations to the anchorage during the loading and unloading operations of the Shamrock.

The port anticipates the future growth of the container facility; the segregation of the two industries will nurture market growth.

The 2000 figures just released recently show an increase in petroleum to 189,371,199 port barrels or nearly 28.5 million short tons and bulk cargo up to 758,000 tons over the last year. Overall, the Port handled nearly 30 million tons of cargo, almost three times that of Boston. In 2000 Portland remained New England's largest tonnage seaport.

Other stories from June 2001 issue

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