The development of the Salem Offshore Wind Terminal in USA is moving ahead, with the transfer of ownership to the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) and an agreement for site improvements.
The agreements by MassCEC, Crowley Wind Services and the City of Salem will kickstart the transformation of the old oil and coal-fired power plant into the state’s second port specifically built to support the construction of offshore wind farms.
MassCEC purchased more than 42 acres (17 ha) of land on Salem Harbor, while a 5-acre (2-ha) parcel was transferred to the City of Salem, including the port’s existing deepwater berth. 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 utilisation of the property as an offshore wind marshalling port with priority for offshore wind projects serving Massachusetts.
Crowley Wind Services will start construction in 2024, strengthening the site infrastructure to accommodate heavy machinery and equipment, including the construction of a second ship berth and upgrades to the City berth. The harbour channel will also be dredged, with the port expected to open in 2026.
In future, the port will also support the construction and installation of floating offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine.
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. Combined, the two port terminals represents a critical piece of infrastructure for Massachusetts climate goals, at a time where the shortage of adequate port facilities for offshore wind is a major roadblock in the sector’s development.
