TRANSIENT MOORAGE AND WAVE PROTECTION IN PORTLAND
South Portland lies on the south bank of the Fore River, set against the Portland skyline and the superb cruising area of Casco Bay, dotted with hundreds of islands. During the war years it was an important shipbuilding centre, with two shipyards building a total of 236 Liberty ships. By 1943, when production was at its highest, a 440-foot (134 m) vessel could be built in less than 40 days. Today, South Portland is part of the Port of Portland, the second-busiest port for petroleum products on the East Coast. Scattered amongst the oil storage tanks and commercial docks are several marinas and a yacht club.
What used to be an abandoned fish cannery at Spring Point has been developed over the years into Maine’s largest full-service marina. Spring Point Marina’s latest facility upgrade consists of a state-of-the-art floating dock system on the outer edge of the marina to accommodate large transient yachts. Its wave-attenuating design reduces the force of wind-driven waves and boat wakes significantly. The 140-metre floating dock was planned and built by SF Marina in Norfolk, Virginia. The seven pontoons are anchored using internal steel pile guides and move as one unit with the 3.6-metre tide. Utilities, including power, water, and communications, are routed through internal ducts. Spring Point Marina has over 250 slips and can accommodate yachts up to 60 metres in length.
The new dock was opened in October and will be ready for the upcoming 2022 sailing season.
