Americold to build cold-storage warehouse near Maine port

The Maine Port Authority and Maine Department of Transportation (DOT) have selected Americold Logistics LLC as the winning bidder for the construction of a freezer warehouse at the International Marine Terminal (IMT) in Portland.

The company will now enter negotiations with the Maine Port Authority on the terms for the construction and operation of the 150,000-square-foot temperature-controlled warehouse, which will be located on 6.3 acres next to the IMT.

"We plan to leverage our world-class 'design, build and operate' expertise to create a world-class facility to bring new business to Portland, while maintaining our existing relationships with local seafood companies, food producers, and retailers," said Fred Boehler, Americold's president and chief operating officer, in a press release.

Americold operates 175 facilities with more than a billion cubic feet of temperature controlled space in six countries. In the United States, it operates 145 facilities in 38 states. The firm has a strategic relationship with Eimskip, the Icelandic shipping company, which will become an anchor tenant at the facility.

"These sort of smart investments in logistical capability are how we make Maine more competitive and help businesses create jobs throughout Maine, from Portland to Aroostock and Washington Counties," said Maine DOT Commissioner David Bernhardt in a prepared statement.