International Marine Terminal

A $56 million Portland waterfront cold-storage facility — long in the works — is now open for business.

The improvements will help the shipping container facility keep pace with growing volumes. Unlike most U.S. and European ports, the Portland International Marine Terminal is handling more cargo.

Portland has seen steady growth with Eimskip continuing to serve international markets, bringing imports of fresh salmon from Iceland and the Faroe Islands.

Soli DG, a South Portland-based consultancy led by husband and wife Patrick and Janeen Arnold, was contracted by the MPA in 2008 to work on developing Maine’s ports.

After clearing the final regulatory hurdle with the city of Portland, the next step is for the developer to issue a request for proposals for a design build contractor, Maine Port Authority CEO Jonathan Nass told Mainebiz.

The new funding, along with two other grants, will help fund a haul road between the IMT and neighboring Merrill's Marine Terminal, as well as new capacity for handling intermodal transport.

Plans for a freezer warehouse head to a Planning Board workshop next week, as the Roux Institute of Northeastern University partners with WEX on office space.