On Wednesday, June 11, the Maine International Trade Center (MITC) and Taylor Logistics hosted a tour of Portland’s new cold storage facility. MITC President Wade Merritt said the facility will help bring business to Maine. 

The Maine International Cold Storage Facility (MICSF) opened in early February 2025. It is located beside the Casco Bay Bridge with access to the shipping port, I-95, the rail system, and Portland International Jetport. Since opening, the facility has seen thousands of pallets in and out, carrying various goods such as seafood, blueberries, and ice cream. Advanced robots are one of many technologies used to move pallets around the facility. 

The space “[meets] customer needs while ensuring top-tier food safety and seamless service,” said Grant Taylor, vice president of warehouse at Taylor Logistics. Taylor Logistics is the operator of the facility and notes that the MICSF has 106,000 square feet of refrigerated space, 13 loading docks, and adaptable temperatures. 

According to MITC President Wade Merritt, “As far as a state-of-the-art cold storage facility, this is really it in Maine.” MITC uses the facility as a marketing tool both internationally and in the state.

The facility aims to add to Maine’s growing global trade market, which reached more than $3 billion in exports and $6 billion in imports for 2024. Of exporters, MITC says 84% were small to medium-sized businesses. The organization hopes that this facility will streamline exports by allowing businesses to store product at its point of departure, rather than further away.

“The Maine International Cold Storage Facility represents an incredible opportunity to deliver best-in-class cold storage and logistics solutions while supporting the local community and economy,” said Will Roberson, president of Taylor Logistics. 

Alongside benefits to local companies, MITC notes the potential impact on Mainers. International trade supports over 170,000 Maine jobs, and foreign-owned companies employ nearly 40,000 Mainers, according to MITC. 

Looking ahead, Merritt hopes that the Maine International Cold Storage Facility will allow more businesses to relocate their storage operations to Maine. He sees the facility as “a reason for companies in Europe to think about investing in this part of the country or [to move] product through our port.”