Ocean Gateway Pier II

{{Short description|Cruise ship pier in Portland, Maine, US}}

Ocean Gateway Pier II is a floating deepwater cruise ship pier located at the Ocean Gateway International Marine Passenger Terminal in Portland, Maine.

Construction of the pier began on 1 November 2010 with a groundbreaking ceremony attended by Maine governor John Baldacci and city officials.{{cite web |title=Maine Breaks Ground On The Ocean Gateway Pier II |url= http://www.thegovmonitor.com/world_news/united_states/maine-breaks-ground-on-the-ocean-gateway-pier-ii-41779.html |publisher=GovMonitor |accessdate=30 October 2011 |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20101231132546/http://www.thegovmonitor.com/world_news/united_states/maine-breaks-ground-on-the-ocean-gateway-pier-ii-41779.html |archivedate=31 December 2010 |url-status=live |date=1 November 2010}} It was opened on 10 September 2011, when Enchantment of the Seas became the first vessel to dock at the pier.{{cite web |title=Pier without peer in Maine |url= http://www.pressherald.com/news/pier-without-peer-in-maine_2011-09-15.html |work=Portland Press Herald |accessdate=30 October 2011 |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20120612031351/http://www.pressherald.com/news/pier-without-peer-in-maine_2011-09-15.html |archivedate=12 June 2012 |url-status=live |date=15 September 2011}}

The total cost of building the pier was about $6 million, paid for by a state transportation bond. It was built by the Reed & Reed construction company, which submitted a bid about $1.5 million less than had been budgeted for, allowing an extension of the pier by about {{convert|100|ft|m}} over the original plan and the addition of water and electrical services.

The pier is composed of a {{convert|124|ft|m|adj=on}} floating barge, anchored to the seabed, at the center of the structure for embarking passengers onto ships, with the remainder a gangway wide enough to accommodate vehicles the size of a golf cart. The gangway is supported by individual pilings and clusters of three pilings. The pier is able to accommodate ships as large as {{convert|1200|ft|m}} long.{{cite web |title=On eve of construction, critics say floating pier too limiting |url= http://www.pressherald.com/news/on-eve-of-construction-critics-say-floating-pier-too-limiting_2010-09-02.html |work=Maine Sunday Telegram |accessdate=30 October 2011 |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20120612031442/http://www.pressherald.com/news/on-eve-of-construction-critics-say-floating-pier-too-limiting_2010-09-02.html |archivedate=12 June 2012 |url-status=live |date=2 September 2010}}