Maine's Port of Eastport nearly completes expansion that will enable port to meet woody biomass demand from Europe; expansion to make port first in U.S. Northeast with infrastructure capable of handling woody biomass
Alison Gallant
LOS ANGELES
,
November 21, 2011
(Industry Intelligence)
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Maine’s Port of Eastport is about to put the finishing touches on an expansion that will service woody biomass demand in Europe, making it the first port in the U.S. Northeast with this specific type of infrastructure, Biomass Power & Thermal reported Nov. 21.
The expansion involves a bulk storage yard as well as a bidirectional conveyor for both exports and imports. Early on, the new infrastructure will be handling mostly wood chips. A planned upgrade involves the addition of automated pellet storage, according to Chris Wagner, the port’s executive director.
The port is currently negotiating with pellet mills that want access to pellet markets in Europe, Wagner told Biomass. It will be the first in the U.S. Northeast that can handle the export of wood pellets, Biomass reported.
Maine’s Port of Portland may also expand its infrastructure to handle pellets. According to the article, West Baldwin, Maine-based F.E. Wood & Sons has proposed a 300,000-ton per year pellet mill less than 30 miles away from the Port of Portland. Part of the company’s proposal involves a rail infrastructure upgrade in addition to an expansion at the Port of Portland.
The primary source of this article is Biomass Power and Thermal, Grand Forks, North Dakota, Nov. 21, 2011.
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