Portland Pipe Line is Subject of Portland Harbor Museum Final Summer Lecture

Supertanker Mayon Spirit of Nassau discharging at Portland Pipe Line Pier 2

It's a rare day that Portlanders don't catch sight of a pair of supertanker docked across the harbor just beyond Bug Light. Sailing from ports around the world they hook onto the Portland Pipe Line where their cargo of crude oil speeds on a 236 mile journey through New Hampshire and Vermont to its destination at refineries in Montreal and Ontario. The big ships arrive on almost daily basis from oil ports around the world.

The original 12 inch Portland-Montreal pipeline was laid in 1941 as World War II was raging in Europe. It supplied Montreal refineries that were producing gasoline and aviation fuel for allied forces. The new overland pipe line solved the problem of St. Lawrence River icing that closed off winter deliveries and saved lives and ships that had been victims of U-boat attacks.

Wartime experience showed the advantage of piping oil to Montreal and a second 18-inch pipe line was built in 1950 to supply Canada's increasing fuel needs. When a third 24-inch line was laid in 1965, the old 12-inch line was shut down. Spaced along the route, eight pumping stations with a combined horsepower of 94,000 propel the oil 1960 feet up and over the mountains to Quebec

Portland Pipe Line works on a "turbulent flow" system that prevents oil of different specific gravities from mixing. To make the system work a consignment of light specific gravity crude is placed in the pipeline behind a load with a heavier specific gravity. A hundred barrels or so will mix. the rest can easily be separated at the Montreal end of the pipeline; each customer gets exactly what he bought and paid for.

Tom Hardison, Portland Pipe Line Corp., at Portland Harbor Museum Summer Lecture series

It takes a lot of planning to get deliveries to the refineries on time so they don't run low on their feed stock," . Tom Hardison, Portland Pipe Line Corporation Director of Operations, told the Portland Harbor Museum Summer Lecture Series audience. "Refinery crude traders are 45 to 60 days out buying feed stock for the refineries. Meanwhile their marine departments are out looking for a ship. They may find one in the Orient and send it on to the North Sea for a load of crude.Once loaded the ship's master gets his orders to arrive at, say, September 12 at 3 A.M. at Portland. If he is late he may lose his place in the queue and experience a costly 24 hour delay before he can get alongside."

When a ship is cleared to proceed to the Portland Pipe Line Pier 2 it is met by a Portland sea pilot who goes through a rigorous check of the vessel's navigation equipment and maneuvering ability before proceeding into the channel. "The rules are cast in stone," said Tom. "Don't even think about doing anything outside of the standard."

Off Willard Beach the ship meets its escort of two Portland tugs and is boarded by the docking pilot who controls the ship as it approaches Pier 2. The tugs are not required by port regulations, but Portland Pipe Line considers them a necessary safety precaution in case of an engine or steerage failure. Short toots from the tanker's whistle, cofirmed by the tug captain, relay the docking pilot's tug commands. One toot...go ahead....two toots go astern. Its a quick and effective method but in late night hours, out of concern for the neighbors, the tug commands are given by radio.

"We are fortunate that Portland tugs and their captains are among the industry's finest," Tom said.."It always amazes me when I watch a one of their 120 foot, 7000 horsepower tugs flipping a fully loaded 900 foot tanker around."

ortland Pipeline's two docks are 57 feet deep and wider than the footprint of a tanker's hull. The maximum draft for tankers entering Portland is 49 feet. Portland Pipe Line dock's 57 foot depth allows plenty of cushion in the event of a blow from the south or a northeaster on an astronomical high tide.

"Lobsters seem to like the Portland Pipe Line docks, said Tom. "A large lobster colony burrows into the soft clay of the two deep trenches. On our last dredge of the basins local lobstermen were hired to fish out the lobsters and transfer them to safety in other parts of the harbor. I'm happy to say they are back with a vengance."

Portland is fortunate to have all newer double hull tankers calling at the port. Most of them are twin screw and powered by two engines generating 19,000 to 23,000 horsepower which pushes them, fully loaded, at 13 or 14 knots.. When entering port this redundancy keeps the vessel moving in the event one of the engines fails. Most of them are less than three years old and have up to date fire fighting equipment.

"The typical 900-foot tanker that calls here in the port is manned by a crew of 24 people. That number includes the captain and the cook', said Tom. "Its a tough life for sailors. We do everything we can to see that they get some shore time, but in a 24-hour stay, a crew member is lucky to get 4 or 5 hours off the ship in Portland.

About half of Portland Pipe Line crude oil cargoes originate in Europe. Another 30% is loaded in Canada and Mexico. The remainder is from Africa and South America.

"Last year we berthed 222 ships and moved 160 million barrels of crude oil" Tom said.. "When you add up pilotage, tug fees, docking fees, provisions, money spent by the crew and other expenses, we figure that each one of them kicks in $30,000 to $40,000 to the Portland economy during its 24 hour stay."