Page 26: of Marine News Magazine (April 2021)

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Feature

Offshore Wind gress has passed legislation ensuring that all U.S. laws ap- thousands of jobs, tens of billions of dollars in economic ply to offshore wind development and providing parity output” with ancillary bene? t of “play[ing] a signi? cant between offshore oil and gas projects and offshore wind role in decarbonizing electricity production in the United projects.” Early efforts offshore Rhode Island and Virginia States.” In early February, Crowley announced a partner- may offer the initial paradigm for U.S. turbine assembly, ship with terminals specialist Watco (a holding of Oaktree where non-U.S. ? agged and non-mobile installation vessels Capital, a leading private equity investor, with a maritime handle assembly of components that are ferried out from presence), to bring a turnkey offering to “…owners, opera- the shore in Jones Act suitable tonnage. All manner of off- tors and local port authorities in support of the offshore shore service could be handled by U.S. based vessels. wind industry.” In March, Crowley announced it is team-

In the individual states, the “renewables” catch-phrase ing up with Danish shipping company ESVAGT to build also applies to the reinvention of port facilities—now for and operate purpose-built, Jones Act vessels to support the a new use. The waterfront and port communities all along emerging U.S. offshore wind market.

the U.S. East Coast stand to gain, and huge investments Reinvention is visible up and down the coast. In con- in landside infrastructure, with hefty employment and junction with a New York State Energy Research and De- spending, are also anticipated, pegged by Crowley’s Rob- velopment Authority (NYSERDA) procurement award to erts in his February 2021 U.S. House testimony as “tens of Equinor (partnered with energy major BP) for two wind-

New Bedford, Mass.

Massachusetts Clean Energy Council 26 | MN April 2021