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At 'the front lines of climate change,' Portland joins forces with nonprofit to protect working waterfront

Portland Mayor Mark Din and GMRI president and DCeO Glenn Prickett on Portland's waterfront Photo / Scott McAuliffe From left, GMRI President and and CEO Glenn Prickett and Portland Mayor Mark Dion at an event marking a partnership focused on climate resilience.
By Renee Cordes

The city of Portland has joined forces with the nonprofit Gulf of Maine Research Institute to protect the working waterfront and position Maine’s largest city as a national leader in coastal climate adaptation.

Electric boat charger on Portland's waterfront
Photo / Courtesy of Gulf of Maine Research Institute
Portland's first electric boat charger at the ready for aquaculture vessels.

Early results of the partnership, formalized in a resolution last month and marked at an event on Wednesday, include the $4 million renovation of Wright’s Wharf and an electric charging station for boats in a pilot project by GMRI and other organizations. In addition, 10 electric chargers at 350 Commercial St. now operate 24/7, touted as the largest publicly accessible station on Portland’s waterfront.

"This partnership demonstrates what it means to be a climate-ready community," said Mayor Mark Dion. "By combining the city's planning and policy work with GMRI's scientific expertise, we're creating practical solutions that protect our working waterfront, grow our economy and prepare Portland for the future."

Climate change 'front lines' 

Noting that the Gulf of Maine’s coastal communities “are on the front lines of climate change," GMRI President and CEO Glenn Prickett said the joint effort “shows how science-based solutions, combined with municipal action and private investment, can create a blueprint for other communities facing similar challenges."

In a 2024 "On the Record" interview with Mainebiz, Pritchett spoke of GMRI's goal to "help communities continue to thrive in a warmer world." 

The partnership advances GMRI's new “Building climate-ready communities” strategic initiative by demonstrating practical climate solutions, supporting both environmental and economic resilience and creating models that can be replicated in other coastal regions.

The City Council resolution, adopted last month, covers data sharing, collaborative grant applications and joint work on coastal resilience and working waterfront protection.

Blue-economy innovation 

Greg Watson, Portland's director of housing and economic development, highlighted the collaboration's economic benefits.

"Protecting our working waterfront and investing in climate-ready infrastructure will provide essential support for our fishing, aquaculture and seafood supply-chain workforce, as well as leading around innovation in the blue economy,” he said.

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