Port authority weighs concerns over dredging

A proposed dredging project off the Eastport breakwater to allow larger cruise ships to tie up at the pier instead of being at anchor in the bay is causing some concern in the community – both about possible environmental impacts and about whether the island city is prepared for or wants more cruise ship traffic downtown. Eastport Port Authority officials say they are aware of those concerns.

"We're not seeking to bring larger cruise ships here but only to meet the size of the vessels we are currently serving," says Chris Gardner, executive director of the port authority. Larger cruise ships are presently anchoring in the bay, with passengers brought back and forth by the ship's tenders. If those ships were able to tie up at the breakwater, Gardner says, "It's safer, it's a better experience for the guests and it's a better experience for the community." Instead of a surge of people coming off the tenders and waiting in long lines, the passengers can be more relaxed in their visits. "It's really about bettering the experience for all people, and of course safety." As for the number of ships, the port authority previously decided not to allow more than one cruise ship a day. This year, 24 ships are scheduled to visit the island city and the number is not expected to increase much in coming years.

Because of the depth of water at the breakwater's eastern face, vessels currently can be no longer than 800 feet to dock there. The dredging would occur beyond the northern end of the breakwater so that the current 30-foot to 40-foot depth at the pier would extend a greater distance, allowing for the berthing of ships up to 1,100 feet in length. The largest vessel coming this year was the 1,082-foot Majestic Princess, which lay at anchor.

Among the environmental concerns that have been raised about dredging is that suspended sediment which could include organic pollutants or heavy metals from previous industrial activity, including sardine plants that were in the area of the breakwater, can be released into the marine ecosystem. Dredging can also alter the seabed and water column, which can affect how waves and currents interact with the coast.

Addressing those concerns, Gardner says that, before the port authority decides to proceed with the project, an environmental assessment will be conducted. The assessment will examine what the bottom looks like and how much material would have to be removed. Random samples from the bottom will then be tested. The assessment will study the composition of the material and the environmental characteristics, including whether any contaminants are present. Those questions will have to be answered before the port authority decides to go forward with dredging.

The Maine Department of Transportation (DOT) has received a proposal from Stantec, an engineering and environmental consulting firm, for approximately $100,000 for the survey and environmental testing work, with the DOT willing to cover some of the cost. The port authority board still needs to approve an agreement on cost-sharing with the state, and the state will decide what company will be used for the assessment. Gardner estimates that the study could be completed in 2026 and the dredging could potentially be done in 2027.

Until the assessment is completed, Gardner says, "I have no idea on the dredging cost. We may find it is highly economical or we may find it's too heavy of a lift. If it's not feasible financially or environmentally or logistically, we won't proceed."

To help cover the potential costs and other expenses related to the cruise ships, the port authority has increased its fees to $10 for each passenger on the cruise ships, which is still low compared to other ports. For ships docking at the breakwater, the port authority also charges $3 per foot per day for dockage, which Gardner estimates, with additional ships at the pier, could bring in $25,000 to $30,000 more a year that would go toward offsetting the dredging costs.

CBP office issue resolved

At the September 15 meeting of the port authority board, Gardner reported that the issue concerning the leasing of space in the port authority building by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has been resolved. CBP had indicated to the port authority in July that it would no longer pay for the office space and threatened to close the office if the port authority did not agree to its terms. CBP has been paying $1,700 a month to the port authority under a 10-year lease agreement, but the agency wanted a 20-year lease at no cost.

After the port authority informed the CBP regional office in Boston that the CBP office in Eastport serves not only the port authority but also the aquaculture industry, the local airport and commercial and recreational vessels that clear customs through the port, the regional office apologized for the confusion and agreed to continue with the lease arrangement as in years past.

Other business

Also at the September 15 meeting, Gardner told the board that an incident that occurred when the cruise ship Volendam left on September 5 caused some damage to the attenuator docks on the north side of the breakwater. The damage has since been repaired.

Sprague Energy has inquired to see if the port authority would be interested in purchasing the unitizer at its Portland terminal. The unitizer would allow the port to press and bind bales of wood pulp together for shipment, so the port authority might be able to attract other pulp mills to ship through Eastport. Gardner says the port authority will try to acquire the unitizer and notes that the Woodland mill might want to use it for its pulp shipments.

Area juveniles have been trespassing on port terminal property at Estes Head, where they have entered into buildings and broke into a trailer, breaking a window and discharging a fire extinguisher. They may have been throwing items from the dumping area onto the storage pad. In addition, a group of juveniles damaged bollard covers near the buoy platform on the breakwater and went onto vessels in the inner basin. All of the juveniles have been identified and issued no trespass warnings.