September 13 - The Baker-Polito Administration has signed a letter of intent with Dong Energy, Deepwater Wind and OffshoreMW to lease the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal in Massachusetts, USA as a staging and deployment location for future offshore w
Through the state's Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), the letter of intent with the offshore wind developers represents a commitment to a two-year lease at USD5.7 million annually.
The agreement builds upon Massachusetts' commitment to diversifying its energy portfolio and creating a hub for the US' emerging offshore wind market, said MassCEC.
The Baker-Polito Administration recently signed a comprehensive energy legislation, which requires utilities to competitively solicit and contract for approximately 1,600 MW of offshore wind and 1,200 MW of other clean energy generation.
New Bedford mayor Jon Mitchell added that the port has worked hard to position itself as a leading gateway for the emerging offshore wind industry.
Operated by MassCEC, the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal is a multipurpose, 26 acre (10.5 ha) facility designed to support the construction, assembly and deployment of offshore wind projects, as well as handle bulk, breakbulk, container and specialty cargoes. The terminal has been engineered to sustain heavy loads.
Matthew Morrissey, vice president of Massachusetts Deepwater Wind, noted that the terminal is "one of the finest heavy cargo terminals in the world" while Dong Energy added that the hub would play a "critical role" in supporting the region's offshore wind industry.
Project cargo is unloaded from a Thorco Shipping vessel at the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal.
(Source: Flickr)
