Two officials from the United States Embassy in Iceland were on hand in Portland on Thursday as companies from Iceland and Maine announced the creation a new business that will focus on creating products related to the ocean.
Rebecca Owen, economic and commercial officer for the U.S. Embassy, said investors want to locate their business in Portland because they can build on the relationships that have developed between Maine and Iceland since the Icelandic steamship line Eimskip moved to its North American operations to Portland a year and a half ago.
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In addition, Maine has healthy marine resources, particularly its lobster fishery, and is home to several research institutions, such as the Gulf of Maine Research Institute in Portland and Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences in East Boothbay.
“Maine has too much to offer to stay off the map,” she said.
Thor Sigfusson, an entrepreneur from Iceland, and Soli DG Inc., which has a state contract to manage the International Marine Terminal in Portland, plan to model the new company, called the New England Ocean Cluster, after the Iceland Ocean Cluster, a privately owned business in Reykjavik, the island nation’s capital. That company works in collaboration with 40 businesses located in a converted warehouse on Reykjavik’s waterfront.
The investors are looking to lease about 30,000 square feet of office space and have been talking to private landowners and the city of Portland for a potential location. They plan to open the facility with 20 marine-related business that would lease both private offices and shared space.
Greg Mitchell, Portland’s economic development officer, said the city has been in negotiations with the company, but he would not disclose which properties are under discussion.
Gov. Paul LePage, who in June visited the Iceland Ocean Cluster building in Reykjavik, at the news conference said he loved the concept and thinks it can work here.
“We believed that Maine, with our lobster fishery and the resources we have off the coast of Maine, can make this cluster concept work,” he said.
Portland Mayor Michael Brennan said the concept is a good fit for Portland because the city’s high percentage of college-educated residents means the companies that join the Ocean Cluster will have access to an educated workforce.
“Now we can see where the future of the waterfront will go,” he said.
This story will be updated.
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