New Jersey officials broke ground last week on the nation's first purpose-built port for the offshore wind industry.
The New Jersey Wind Port is designed to serve as a hub for the offshore wind industry along the East Coast, with access to more than 50% of available U.S. offshore wind lease areas. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.
“Investing in offshore wind is vital to building a stronger, greener economy that creates high-paying jobs to support a robust recovery from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and paves the way for long-term, equitable growth,” said New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy. “The New Jersey Wind Port will create thousands of high-quality jobs, bring millions of investment dollars to our state, and establish New Jersey as the national capital of offshore wind.”
In addition to the groundbreaking ceremony, the event also included the signing of a project labor agreement (PLA) for the project between AECOM-Tishman and the United Building Trades Council of Southern New Jersey AFL-CIO. (Courtesy: New Jersey Governor's Office)The initial development plan includes a 30-acre marshalling area for component assembly and staging, dredging of the Delaware River Channel, heavy-lift wharf with a dedicated delivery berth and an installation berth, dedicated overland heavy-haul transportation corridor, and potential for additional laydown areas.
Long term, the site can support a development footprint of over 200 acres. Ørsted and Atlantic Shores have already expressed interest in using space at the New Jersey Wind Port, officials said.
“The New Jersey Wind Port represents the kind of technological innovation, broad-based partnership, and bold investment that we need to meet the climate challenge and create good jobs and an inclusive workforce in our country,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. “This project and the good jobs that come with it serves as an important model for future infrastructure investments in this country.”
Major construction on the New Jersey Wind Port site is expected to begin in December.
As part of New Jersey's goal of reaching 100% clean energy by 2050, Murphy has committed to producing 7.5 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2035.
Subscribe to Renewable Energy World’s free, weekly newsletter for more stories like this
