8 American Journal of Transportation American Journal of Transportation ajot.com SPONSORED CONTENT A Temperature Controlled Logistics Hub • Cold Storage - 21,000 pallets • Dry Warehouse - 200.000 sq.ft. • Drayage and Trucking Service • Customs Clearance eimskip.com | [email protected] | +1 207-331-3300 Weekly Sailings [email protected] Portland, ME to and from N-Europe Portland, Maine Eimskip delivers perishables to Port of Portland …and beyond By George Lauriat In the Port of Portland, Maine, Eimskip’s weekly Green Line calls deliver cargos of temperature–con- trolled perishables, like fresh salmon and other seafood, destined for dinner tables near and far. Eimskip, an Icelandic ocean carrier, is well-estab- lished on the North Atlantic and from the carrier’s home in Reykjavik, Iceland the ocean carrier’s vessels call at a rotation of ports such as Argentia in Newfoundland, Nuuk in Greenland, Thorshavn in the Faroe Islands, or Batsfjord and Kirkenes in far northern Norway. Equally, Eimskip’s vessels also service well-known ports in Europe, while in the United States, Eimskip calls the Port of Portland, Maine its homeport and gateway for perishables. Eimskip’s Dual Role with IMT In the Port of Portland, Eimskip has a dual role; both as the terminal operator of the International Marine Terminal (IMT) in Portland as well as the operator of the ocean carrier Green Line service, which calls weekly at the terminal. IMT is in midst of upgrading the terminal, aimed at improving the facility’s ability to handle perishables in reefer containers. Gylfi Sigfússon, CEO of Eimskip USA, said of the ongoing work, “The Port Authority in Portland, Maine is planning with us a significant upgrade to the reefer infrastructure in 2027, with the installation of 200-new reefer plugs. This will allow us to consolidate all refrig- erated containers into a single, dedicated area, which is a major improvement compared to today, where reefers are spread across different parts of the port.” Adding, that “Currently, we use an average of around 100-reef- ers plugged per day, so this expansion not only improves operational efficiency but also positions us well for future growth in line with our future needs. As Sigfússon explains, the reefer plugs are designed for short-term use and typically containers remain plugged in for three-to-five days. For importers of perish- able cargos, this provides flexibility while they determine the next step in the supply chain. For an exporter having the reefer plugs on site ensures the perishable cargo is properly refrigerated and ready ahead of vessel departure. Besides the reefer plugs, there has been other on-ter- minal equipment and infrastructure upgrades at IMT. “We also have ongoing investments at the port in equip- ment and infrastructure to support our growth. The Port is planning to add two new reach stackers, along with two additional yard trucks—to strengthen our opera- tional efficiency and capacity,” Sigfússon, noted. He also pointed out that “In parallel, the port recently completed several infrastructure improvements, including upgrades to the bollards and dredging work. Our next focus with the Port Authority is on rehabilitating the terminal’s sur- face with asphalt improvements planned to enhance both safety and efficiency across the yard.” Another critically important project at IMT was the dredging of the vessel berths to 35-feet, the same as the Federal main channel at the port. “Maintaining the 35-foot channel depth represents an important investment in the port’s long-term compet- itiveness and operational flexibility. The improved depth enables us to safely accommodate modern vessel sizes, enhance scheduling reliability, and support continued ser- vice growth,” Sigfússon said of the dredging project. But dredging represents a fundamental element in a termi- nal’s ship handling capabilities, and as Sigfússon points out. “Just as importantly, this isn’t only about growth— it’s about maintaining the level of service we already pro- vide…. Without regular dredging, natural sedimentation would gradually reduce the depth, limiting vessel access, restricting cargo volumes, and ultimately impacting the reliability of our operations.” “By preserving this depth, we ensure consistent access for carriers, avoid tidal or draft restrictions, and provide greater flexibility in vessel scheduling. It also strengthens the port’s competitiveness, making it a more attractive and reliable option for ship- ping lines and customers. The Green Line Delivers The “Green Line” service links the US via a first inbound call at the IMT terminal, to Europe via Reykja- vik, Iceland. And as the company’s principal connecting service, the Green Line anchors all Eimskip USA’s North American activities. Sigfússon, said that currently Eimskip’s Green Line serves, “the North American market with three vessels, each typically carrying between 700 and 1,000 TEUs. Our first port call on the North America route is Portland, Maine, followed by Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Argentia in Newfoundland and Labrador on the eastbound leg. Sigfússon says the logic behind the Green Line’s rotation is that, “This route gives us the fastest possible route to get fresh fish to the market in US and the oppor- tunity to shift some cargo that is currently being trucked to Canada onto our vessels, providing an efficient short- sea shipping option between the US and Atlantic Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador.” Keeping a weekly schedule on the North Atlantic is difficult and very hard during the winter months. This requires ships that can take whatever the North Atlan- tic hands out year-round. According to Sigfússon, “The ideal vessels for this service are similar to our Bakkafoss vessel, which has a capacity of 1,025 TEUs. Having three vessels of that size would be perfect, but in practice, we adjust our capacity to match demand and remain as flexi- ble as possible to meet our customers’ needs.” The Green Line’s three-ship rotation has proved to be successful for Eimskip and the Port of Portland. As Sigfússon said of 2025, “The year began with strong momentum and, despite evolving trade conditions and tariff impacts later in the year, we achieved overall volume growth of approximately 3%. This result reflects the resilience of our service and customer base.” And 2026 is looking positive despite the headwinds. Sigfússon said of the prospects for 2026, “We always have some challenges in the beginning of the year, but March showed strong volume and what we have seen into April is very promising. Overall, we are on similar level as last year, but last year same time we were not affected by tariff…. But what we are seeing in our crystal ball is very promising, the growth in the fish proteins from Europe heading for USA,” and an increase in seafood to the US likely means more reef- ers for Eimskip and the Port of Portland.
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