Public-private partnership will advance second offshore wind port in Massachusetts, positioned to support construction of floating turbines in the Gulf of Maine
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), Crowley Wind Services, a global maritime transportation and logistics company, and the City of Salem today announced the transfer of ownership and an agreement for site improvements and ongoing operations for the Salem Offshore Wind Terminal. Once the site of an oil- and coal-fired power plant, this historic agreement will kickstart the transformation of the site into the second port build specifically to support the construction of offshore wind farms in Massachusetts. The Salem Offshore Wind Terminal is also unique in that it is one of a very few sites that will support the construction and installation of floating offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine.
Among
these transactions is the purchase by MassCEC of more than 42 acres on Salem
Harbor and the transfer of a 5-acre parcel to the City of Salem, including the
port’s existing deep-water berth. Massachusetts’s first dedicated offshore wind
port is the New Bedford Wind Commerce Center, which is owned and operated by
MassCEC, and is currently leased to Vineyard Wind, who in January announced the
delivery of the first offshore wind power in the state.
“MassCEC’s
offshore wind infrastructure has given Massachusetts our competitive edge in
this growing industry,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Adding the
Salem Port to its portfolio, along with the New Bedford Marine Commerce
Terminal and the Wind Technology Testing Center, will further elevate
Massachusetts as a global leader in the offshore wind industry. This
partnership with the City of Salem and Crowley will deliver another port built
specifically for offshore wind at this critical time in the clean energy
transition, for Massachusetts, for the United States, and for the world.”
“This
is an exciting day for Salem as we realize the vision we had for the port under
new leadership,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Harnessing
the power of the harbor has always been key to Salem’s success. This port once
received clipper ships that brought international trade to our shores, and now
will serve as a hub for offshore wind, driving economic development for the
entire state.”
“The
Salem Port is one of the great success stories of Massachusetts’ clean energy
transition. What was once the site of a coal burning power plant will now serve
as a launchpad of our offshore wind industry,” said Secretary of Energy
and Environmental Affairs Rebecca Tepper. “As the industry expands into the
Gulf of Maine, this port will be instrumental in delivering additional clean,
affordable energy to our residents and businesses.”
"We
are very proud to align with the state's strategic climate goals by launching
our second wind energy port project in Massachusetts, with ambitious plans to
bring this port to operational status as soon as possible,” said MassCEC
Chief Executive Officer Emily Reichert. “We are excited to be at the
forefront of establishing a burgeoning offshore wind industry in real-time.
It's a collaborative effort that requires action from both the public and
private sector; local, state and federal governments, in partnership with
Crowley, an experienced logistics and marine services operator who will oversee
the port's day-to-day management."
“Salem
is ready to do our part to help advance Massachusetts’ offshore wind efforts
and we're so excited to do it in collaboration with our partners at MassCEC and
Crowley,” said Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo. “On the site where,
until quite recently, there was a giant coal pile, oil tanks, one of the
dirtiest power plants in America, and vast barges unloading coal by the ton, a
new, green energy future will be assembled. That work will be powered by labor
from communities disproportionately impacted by our fossil fuel legacy and
organized and trained for the clean energy economy that’s ahead of us. Here in
Salem, when we’ve looked to the future, we’ve always looked to the sea and to
what’s possible on its distant horizon. I’m so proud that Salem can be part of
this important and historic effort.”
Salem
is one of America’s oldest port cities, with a deep connection to the ocean and
the economic and energy future of Massachusetts and the nation. The Salem
Offshore Wind Terminal location itself was once the site of an oil- and
coal-fueled power plant that ceased operation as recently as 2014.
Crowley,
which purchased the property in 2022, will manage the site redevelopment and
improvements and then serve as the terminal operator, entering into a lease
agreement with MassCEC for the ongoing utilization of the property as an
offshore wind marshalling port with priority for offshore wind projects serving
Massachusetts. The City of Salem, to further support this historic effort, has
leased the berth and its acreage for the same purpose. Crowley’s Wind Services
business unit will start construction in 2024, strengthening the site
infrastructure to accommodate heavy machinery and equipment, the construction
of a second state-of-the-art ship berth and the upgrade of the City berth to
the same standard, and the implementation of dredging activities to enhance the
harbor channel. The port is projected to open in 2026.
Crowley
Wind Services, as a full-scope provider of offshore wind
services, has actively worked since 2022 to transform the site of a former coal
fired power plant in Salem into an asset to support offshore wind development.
Besides operating vessels and terminals, the company provides supply chain
management, construction engineering and project management services, and
operations and maintenance solutions, with Salem project management based in
Massachusetts.
“We
are excited to continue advancing the opportunity for clean, renewable offshore
wind energy for Massachusetts and beyond through this dynamic public-private
partnership,” said Bob Karl, senior vice president and general manager
of Crowley Wind Services. “We appreciate the leadership and support from
the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the Legislature in making our next steps
a reality, as well as the ongoing collaborations with the City of Salem and its
residents to create economic investment and jobs at a world-class marshalling
port for offshore wind.”
The
purchase and redevelopment of the Salem Offshore Wind Terminal site,
demonstrates MassCEC’s commitment to Massachusetts’ statutory requirement of
achieving net-zero in carbon emissions by 2050. Together with the New Bedford
Marine Commerce Terminal, the Salem Offshore Wind Terminal represents a
critical piece of infrastructure for Massachusetts climate goals. In the U.S.,
the shortage of adequate port facilities for offshore wind has been identified as one the key areas of
risk for meeting state and national goals, and market analysis indicates that
more than one marshalling port will be necessary to meet Massachusetts’
timeline and goals for offshore wind.
The
MassCEC New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal, a multi-purpose facility designed
to support the construction, assembly, and deployment of offshore wind
projects, as well as handle bulk, break-bulk, container shipping and large
specialty marine cargo, is the first of its kind in North America. The MassCEC
Wind Technology Testing Center, located in Charlestown, Massachusetts provides
a full suite of certification tests for turbine blades up to 90 meters in
length, and brings the latest wind turbine blade testing and prototype
development methodologies to help the wind industry deploy the next generation
of land-based and offshore wind turbine technologies.
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