BANGOR, Maine — Container shipping is a huge part of the global economy’s future and Maine could play a vital role in that future by expanding its port and rail capabilities, the state’s top transportation official said Wednesday.
Maine Department of Transportation Commissioner David Cole spoke at a Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce event about the potential for a container port facility in Searsport, combined with other investments in railroads, highways and border facilities. He said Bangor’s location and infrastructure make the city a prime intermodal location for shipping commerce.
As the state and the country try to climb out of a recession, Cole said the time is now to start thinking about some of these investments.
“You don’t wait until the recession is over or it will be too late,” he said.