Vineyard Wind has entered into an agreement with Crowley Maritime Corporation and the city of Salem 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 contingent upon the company winning an award by the state of Massachusetts, which is currently evaluating offshore wind energy procurement bids.
Crowley, through its New Energy subsidiary Crowley Wind Services, will purchase the 42 acres (17 ha) surrounding Salem Harbor Station, and will serve as the long-term offshore wind port operator for the site.
Vineyard Wind’s partners (Avangrid Renewables and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners) will serve as the port’s anchor tenants, utilising the property for the Commonwealth Wind project as well as other projects in the company’s portfolio.
The site will be used for turbine assembly and staging activities, including the storage and assembly of blades, nacelles, and tower sections, as they are prepared for offshore installation. Given Salem Harbor’s deepwater port and unrestricted air draught, Vineyard Wind sees Salem Harbor as a necessary addition to support the offshore wind industry.
