Eastport Maine A Profitable US East Coast Sea Link To Europe - by RM

Eastport a pittoresque Maine coastal town

What first started as a small experimental shipment of 500 pregnant cows from Maine to Turkey has now grown into an important source of income for Eastport, a pittoresque New England coastal town just across from the Canadian Province of New Brunswick.

On of the reason's for this success is that Eastport's location makes it the closest port on the US East Coast to Europe.

Initial facility expansions in 1998 allowed the Eastport Port Authority to enter into a series of record breaking years for its cargo operations. Recently the Port completed a further $8 million modernization and expansion program. Today the Port of Eastport is seen as one of the fastest growing cargo ports in all of New England.

Eastport's modern automated Port facilities

Following years of handling largely pulp and pulp-related products from local mills, livestock exports have emerged as a major growth market not only as a result of its proximity to Europe, but  importantly, Maine’s clean bill of health with regard to certain livestock diseases.

The Cattle for export via Eastport comes from Maine and other New England and US states,

Animal friendly, ventilated, climate-controlled livestock containers

The port’s dominant livestock customer has been a Texas company called Sexing Technologies that uses technology to sort bull semen for farmers that specifically want either male or female calves.

Following their arrival in Eastport Heifers (young cows) impregnated with semen from Sexing Technologies’ system are then loaded onto the ship in animal friendly, ventilated, climate-controlled livestock containers for their trip overseas. Usually to the port of Izmir in Turkey.

Izmir Port, Turkey

The positive results of this niche market are quite evident.

Since the beginning of the year some 17,000 cattle have passed through this Washington County community (also known for its commercial fisheries) on their way to Europe.

Chris Gardner, executive director of the Eastport Port Authority, who is also a Maine Washington County commissioner, says the livestock exports have opened a huge new international market for local and US farmers and has had a significant economic impact on the Port and the town of Eastport in the form of new businesses and jobs.

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