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Salem Harbor to be transformed into ofshore wind port
The Commonwealth Wind project intends to use the site for turbine assembly and staging activities, utilising the site to store and assemble components, as they are prepared for offshore installation.
Artist impression courtesy of Crowley.
VINEYARD WIND, A JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN AVANGRID RENEWABLES AND COPENHAGEN INFRASTRUCTURE PARTNERS (CIP), RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THAT THE COMPANY HAS ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH CROWLEY MARITIME CORPORATION AND THE CITY OF SALEM (MASSACHUSETTS, US) TO CREATE A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP AIMED AT ESTABLISHING SALEM HARBOR AS THE STATE’S SECOND MAJOR OFFSHORE WIND PORT.
The agreement, part of the Commonwealth Wind proposal, is contngent upon the company winning an award by the State of Massachusets, which is currently evaluatng ofshore wind procurement bids. Commonwealth Wind will be developed in an area just south of the company’s Vineyard Wind 1 and Park City Wind projects, and ofers optons of approximately 800MW and 1,200MW of green electricity. Vineyard Wind estmates that the Salem Harbor project would create up to an estmated 400 fulltme equivalent (FTE) job years during the revitalisaton of the port, and up to another 500 FTEs over the frst fve years of operaton for constructon and staging for wind projects and day-
to-day port operatons, for a total of 900 FTE job years. Following the redevelopment of Salem Harbor, Avangrid Renewables will be the frst tenant to utlise the site to assemble and deploy ofshore wind turbines for Commonwealth Wind and future projects. CIP will be the second tenant to utlise the terminal to assemble and deploy turbines for their future projects.
Rapidly growing industry
“As ofshore wind contnues to expand, new purpose-built ports will be key to the success of this industry. By constructng the naton’s frst purpose-built ofshore wind port in New Bedford, Massachusets has been leading the way. With a new ofshore wind port in Salem, the Commonwealth can ensure that it is ready to face the demands of a rapidly growing industry”, says Lars T. Pedersen, CEO of Vineyard Wind. “With both New Bedford and Salem capable of delivering port operatons needed for ofshore wind, the state can ensure that both the South Coast and the North Shore can beneft from the creaton of new, highly skilled and good paying jobs, something that will cement Massachusets’ positon as a leader in the new and growing ofshore wind industry.” “This partnership is a great example of how sites that once supported coal can be transformed into sustainable infrastructure to support the vital clean energy transiton”, states Bill White, Head of Ofshore Wind for Avangrid Renewables. “Commonwealth Wind is a transformatonal project that will create good jobs, economic opportunity and clean electricity for Massachusets, facilitated by this important partnership with the City of Salem and Crowley.”
Total lifecycle service provider
Under the terms of the proposed agreement, Crowley, through its New Energy subsidiary Crowley Wind Services, will purchase the 17ha surrounding Salem Harbor Staton, currently owned by Footprint Power, and will serve as the longterm ofshore wind port operator for the site. Vineyard Wind’s partners will serve as the port’s anchor tenants, utlising the property for the Commonwealth Wind project as well as other projects in the company’s portolio. “This partnership reinforces Crowley’s positon as a total lifecycle service provider in the ofshore wind sector”, voices Vice President Jef Andreini of Crowley New Energy. “We look forward to working with Vineyard Wind and the City of Salem and providing the highest level of service in order to make Salem Harbor a leading provider in the ofshore wind supply chain.” The Commonwealth Wind project intends to use the site for turbine assembly and staging actvites, utlising the site to store and assemble components, including blades, nacelles, and tower sectons, as they are prepared for ofshore installaton. Given Salem Harbor’s deep-water port and unrestricted height access to accommodate large-scale wind turbine installaton vessels, Vineyard Wind sees Salem Harbor as a necessary additon to support the ofshore wind industry within the Commonwealth and across the region.
Local opportunities
Both Vineyard Wind and Crowley will work alongside the City of Salem to engage in a robust community outreach and listening process to seek input and build support for this innovatve partnership. The partes are commited to jointly developing a local community beneft agreement to safeguard the City’s long-term interests, while working with residents and businesses to identfy local supply chain and workforce development opportunites. “I am so pleased to welcome Vineyard Wind and Crowley Maritme here to Salem”, says Mayor Kimberley Driscoll. “For centuries, when Salem looked toward its future, it looked toward the sea. This site, in partcular, has provided the electricity that has powered our community and our Commonwealth for generatons. Today, with this announcement, that legacy can contnue with a new focus on a clean energy future, based on renewable power and with a shared commitment to positve acton to mitgate climate change. In additon, this project would provide a signifcant expansion to our commercial tax base and create hundreds of clean energy jobs, right here in Salem. I’m looking forward to working with the Vineyard and Crowley teams, as well as our own local stakeholders here in the community, as this excitng new opportunity moves ahead.”
Image courtesy of Vineyard Wind.
