By Nate Jones

Staff Writer 

Passengers bound for Nova Scotia via the high speed “Cat” ferry will no longer have to dodge containers being craned around the parking lot of Portland’s International Marine Terminal, as the new $20 million Ocean Gateway facility on Commercial Street was officially opened May 2.

In addition to being the new home of the Cat, the Ocean Gateway will provide port to large cruise ships injecting their passengers into the Old Port and across the bridge into South Portland as well.

“Anytime you have a large vessel like this you have spin-off effects for neighboring communities,” South Portland Economic Developer and Assistant Town Manager Erik Carson said of the new facility. 

Director of Transportation Tom Meyers said Portland Metro buses will service the new facility with the same routes now available from the Casco Bay Lines facility, enabling tourists to board South Portland buses at the Metro station in Monument Square. 

When large cruise ships are in, and additional line of buses will provide transportation to and from Monument Square, Meyers said. 

“If people can’t discover what they need downtown they’ll visit the mall,” Carson said. “[The Ocean Gateway] provides a great linkage for additional commercial activity.”

South Portland Police Chief Edward Googins said tourists coming over the bridge are nothing new.

“We are aware of the increase of tourism in the summer months,” he said. “We’re quite used to that, it’s gone on for years.”