PORTLAND — Gov. Paul LePage joined Portland Mayor Nicholas Mavodones at a ribbon-cutting ceremony today to mark the opening of Portland’s new Ocean Gateway Pier II – the so-called megaberth.
“I am happy to say we have a place that can dock many of the largest ships in the world,” Mavodones said at the event, which drew roughly 50 people and was held on the pier. “The Portland waterfront is an economic engine for the entire state. As Portland succeeds, so does the region.”
LePage told the gathering that the berth, which opened Sept. 10, will help bolster Maine’s tourism industry, an important economic driver for the state.
“Tourism has always been very important to Maine. We need to encourage (tourists) to visit the Old Port and spend a lot of money,” he said.
Also at the event was the captain of the visiting cruise ship Celebrity Summitt, who said the water under the berth was a bit too shallow for big cruise ships.
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