Offshore wind port

An offshore wind port describes several distinct types of port facilities that are used to support manufacturing, construction and operation of an offshore wind power project. Offshore wind turbine components are larger than onshore wind components. Handling of such large components requires special equipment. Transporting of components between manufacturing and assembling facilities is to be minimized. As a result, a number of offshore wind port facilities have been built in areas with a high concentration of offshore wind developments.^[1] For large offshore wind farm projects, some offshore wind ports have become strategic hubs of the industry's supply chain.^[2]

A2SEA ships at Esbjerg offshore wind port

The Port of Esbjerg in Denmark is considered the world's largest offshore wind port.^[3][4]

Types

 

Wind turbines require much space for assembly and transport

Small oceanic ports

These are small port facilities to launch survey vessels used in an early stage of an offshore wind farm development.^[5]

Manufacturing ports

Large offshore wind turbine components are difficult to transport over land. Locating a manufacturing facility at a port is more desirable. Subcomponents and materials may be brought through roads or railways. After components are built, they are typically shipped to a marshaling port for the final assembly.^[5]

Marshaling ports

Marshaling ports (also known as staging ports^[1]) are used to collect and store wind turbine components prior to loading them on to wind turbine installation vessels. They are preferably located where there is unrestricted air draft to the wind farm site.^[5]

Operating and maintenance ports

Operating and maintenance ports house facilities and vessels that are required for ongoing operating and maintenance of offshore wind farms. This may include part warehouse, offices, and training facilities.^[5]

By region

Europe

The six leading offshore wind ports in Europe service wind farms in the North Sea. Their respective countries signed the Ejsberg Declaration in 2022 in which they agreed to coordinate supply chain activities to optimize the manufacture and delivery of wind turbine components.^[6][7]

• Port of Esbjerg, (DK), the world's largest offshore wind port^[3]
• Port of Ostend, (BE)^[8]
• Groningen Seaports/Eemshaven, (NL)^[6]
• Niedersachsen Ports/Cuxhaven, (DE)^[6]
• Nantes/Saint-Nazaire, (FR)^[6]
• Humber/Port of Hull (UK)^[9][10]

United States

As of 2021, offshore wind power in the United States was described as a "burgeoning" industry.^[11] At that time, a number of ports were proposing to build or convert facilities to handle the large components needed to build potential offshore wind farms.^[12][13][14] Among those on the East Coast, from north to south are:

• Salem Harbor (MA)^[15]
• Port of New Bedford (MA)^[16]
• Brayton Point Commerce Center/Mount Hope Bay (MA)^[16][17]
• Port of Providence (RI)^[18]
• State Pier Port of New London (CT)^[19][20]
• Arthur Kill Terminal (NY)^[15]
• Port of Paulsboro (NJ)
• New Jersey Wind Port, the "first offshore wind port" in the United States, which broke ground in late 2021^[21]
• Port of Baltimore (MD)^[16] - Sparrows Point
• Portsmouth Marine Terminal (VA)^[22]

References

1. Supply chain, port infrastructure and logistics study for offshore wind farm development in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu (PDF). June 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
2. U.S. Offshore Wind Port Readiness (PDF). Garrad Hassan America. 16 October 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
3. Annual report Port of Esbjerg 2018 (PDF). 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
4. "Components for 4,000 offshore wind turbines pass through Port of Esbjerg". Project Cargo Journal.
5. Parkison, Sara B.; Kempton, Willett (April 2022). "Marshaling ports required to meet US policy targets for offshore wind power". Energy Policy. 163: 112817. doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2022.112817. S2CID 246922755.
6. "European ports join forces to boost offshore wind rollout". renews.biz. 18 January 2023. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
7. "Six European wind ports signed mutual declaration". Ocean Energy Resources. January 19, 2023.
8. A 2030 Vision for European Offshore Wind Ports - Trends and opportunities (PDF) (Report). WindEurope. May 2021.
9. "European Offshore Wind Ports Ally to Mitigate Port Capacity Issues Brought by Higher 2030 Targets". offshorewind.biz. 29 September 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
10. "Is the wind still in Hull's sails?". investmentmonitor.ai. 11 March 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
11. Anderson, Jared (December 27, 2021). "FEATURE: Burgeoning US offshore wind industry will hit important milestones in 2022". www.spglobal.com.
12. Ford, Neil (May 19, 2021). "US port spend brings offshore wind factories closer". www.reutersevents.com. from the original on June 27, 2021.
13. Lewis, Michelle (October 21, 2021). "Ørsted is going big on US offshore wind and this is what it needs to succeed". Electrek. from the original on October 22, 2021.
14. Lewis, Michelle (October 25, 2021). "The US is getting its first offshore wind blade factory". Electrek. from the original on October 26, 2021.
15. Durakovic, Adnan (October 31, 2022). "Three US Ports Secure Federal Financing for Offshore Wind Projects". offshoreWIND.biz.
16. "East Coast ports gear up for offshore wind development". professionalmariner.com. August 1, 2021.
17. Mohl, Bruce (February 16, 2022). "Brayton Point finally lands offshore wind supplier".
18. "Latest News - ProvPort". www.provport.com.^{[not specific enough to verify]}
19. "State Pier Infrastructure Improvement Project". Connecticut Port Authority. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
20. "Port of New London critical component of Offshore Wind Industry Cluster". www.theday.com. Retrieved 2022-11-05.
21. "America's First Offshore Wind Port Breaks Ground". offshorewind.biz. September 10, 2021.
22. "First U.S. Offshore Wind Blade Facility Will be Built in Virginia". maritime-executive.com. October 25, 2021.