New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal to be Leased to Offshore Wind Developers

Wednesday, September 07, 2016

GoLocalWorcester News Team

The Baker-Polito Administration signed a letter of intent with DONG Energy, Deepwater Wind and OffshoreMW on Tuesday to lease the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal as a staging and deployment location for wind projects in the future.

The letter of intent with the offshore wind developers represents a commitment to a two-year lease at $5.7 million annually to use the terminal.

“Massachusetts has achieved another major milestone in securing a clean energy future for the Commonwealth’s rate payers. With this agreement, Massachusetts stands to recognize jobs and economic benefits from this emerging sector within the clean energy industry, and will continue to lead the nation in offshore wind development and renewable energy innovation,” said Governor Charlie Baker.

The agreement with the developers, who hold leases in the federally identified offshore wind energy development areas located 14 miles south of Martha's Vineyard, builds upon Massachusetts' commitment to a diverse energy portfolio and position as a leader in offshore wind.

“This is a big step forward in establishing a supply chain that will produce quality jobs and long-term economic growth on the South Coast and throughout Massachusetts. This agreement builds on the historic energy legislation recently signed by our administration, and will help ensure we meet our ambitious greenhouse gas emission reduction targets while also creating a stronger economy for the Commonwealth,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito.

The announcement follows the administration's recent signing of comprehensive energy legislation that requires utilities to competitively solicit and contract for approximately 1,600 megawatts of offshore wind and 1,200 MW of other clean energy generation like Hydropower.

The legislation spurs the development of an emerging offshore wind industry to create jobs and represents the largest commitment by any state in the nation to offshore wind.

New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal

The New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal is a multi-purpose, 26-acre facility designed to support the construction, assembly and deployment of offshore wind projects, as well as a handle bulk, break-bulk, container and large specialty marine cargo.

The first of its kind in North America, the terminal has been engineered to sustain mobile crane and storage loads which rival the highest capacity ports in the world.

“The New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal will play a critical role in supporting an offshore wind industry here and we are pleased to sign the LOI. We already know the benefits that the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal can provide the region and the industry having used it as our mobilization base for the research vessel, The RV Ocean Researcher that sailed from the terminal earlier this month to conduct a geophysical survey in our lease area south of Martha’s Vineyard,” said Thomas Brostrøm, General Manager of North America, DONG Energy Wind Power (U.S.) Inc.

The New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal is operated by MassCEC.