Georgia-Pacific Corp. builds log storage yard

EASTPORT — A project that was in limbo for nearly a year finally began to take root this week as the Georgia-Pacific Corp. began preparing a site for a storage yard and a debarker for logs that will be shipped overseas through the port of Eastport.

The site is on the 43-acre parcel of industrial land bought last year by the Eastport Port Authority. The Port Authority recently obtained approval for the project from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The project was first brought up at a meeting of the Eastport Planning Board late last May. During the six months that followed, Port Director James Doyle said Wednesday, “This was discussed at no less than 21 public meetings.”

Doyle said one question that came up again and again was “Why doesn’t G-P demonstrate a financial commitment to the port?”

“It’s an odd question considering that G-P has shipped hundreds of millions of dollars of cargo through this port, but now they’re commiting close to $1 million in capital improvements,” he said. “We are delighted to see this commitment by G-P.”

Georgia-Pacific Corp. made its first shipment of hemlock logs, with bark still attached, to Turkey early this year.

“That was the largest single shipment ever through the port, produced the largest payroll, put the most people to work and brought the Port Authority its largest revenue ever,” Doyle said. “The success of that shipment led G-P to make this commitment so this business can continue. For the first time, the longshoremen, the people who built this port, will be guaranteed a decent annual income.”

Doyle said about 10 jobs will be created by the debarker, which will be enclosed in a building to control noise. The Port Authority will lease the land to G-P for $1 a year, “for as long as the business continues,” he said.

Doyle said that income from the rental of the pier, such as the $15,000 received for just one shipment last winter, was important.

“It’s common practice in the shipping industry to offer free storage,” he said. “What’s uncommon is for a shipper to put $1 million into port improvements.”

The logs for G-P’s first shipment were stored at the municipal tenting area because the regulatory agencies had not yet approved using Estes Head. Doyle noted that G-P paid nearly $4,000 rent for the land from December until March, money that is now being used to restore the grounds.