Expecting continued shipment increases, the Eastport Port Authority has approved a $1.5 million budget for next year, nearly double its 2006 budget.
Port Director Chris Gardner told The Quoddy Tides that the latest budget doesn’t include projected revenue from a wood chip business he expects will begin shipping to Europe from Eastport and could lease port property in 2013.
For other port traffic — wood pulp and cattle — Gardner told the paper he expects tonnage to stay on par with recent years.
In 2011, cattle shipments from the country’s easternmost port reached a record of 20,515 cows but dropped to 7,355 last year.
In 2006, the port shipped around 358,075 metric tons; for 2012, Gardner estimates the port shipped nearly 417,448 metric tons.
The recently approved budget represents expected revenues as the port authority operates largely on the revenue it generates.
