Coast Guard cuts ribbon on new command center in Maine

Sen. Susan Collins of Maine cuts a ceremonial ribbon to celebrate the opening of a new $2.3M Coast Guard command center at Sector Northern New England, located in Portland, Maine © Petty Officer 3rd Class Zachary Hupp

Coast Guard Sector Northern New England officially opened a new 24-hour command center Wednesday in South Portland, Maine.

Sen. Susan Collins, Atlantic Area Commander Vice Adm. Scott Buschman, and First District Commander Rear Adm. Andrew Tiongson were all on hand for the ribbon cutting ceremony. The command center is the hub for all Coast Guard operations across Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and parts of New York.

Located at Coast Guard Base South Portland, the command center's exterior remained the same, but the interior is completely new. At approximately 1100 square feet, the space is able to receive alerts of distress any time day or night. The updates to the command center cost nearly $400,000 and were part of a larger $2.3 million dollar upgrade to the base. The command center updates included new furniture, electronics, central air conditioning, a generator, and improved Rescue 21 reliability to continue assisting mariners across the area.

Sen. Susan Collins of Maine joins Vice Adm. Scott Buschman and Rear Adm. Andrew Tiongson on a tour of the new $2.3M command center at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Northern New England, located in Portland, Maine. - photo © Petty Officer 3rd Class Zachary Hupp

Acting as central command and control for operations across four states, the command center, along with its staff and equipment, are essential to Coast Guard missions such as search and rescue, marine environmental protection, and port and waterway security.