Cover Story Breakbulk & Project Cargo of drive trains ,” he said . “ What I ’ m hearing is , ‘ What are the federal policies going to be with regards to how we can construct these ?’ Unequivocally , the number one thing on their minds is permits .”
The Gulf of Mexico is another area the US is targeting for offshore wind development , and the past year has marked a transitional time for those efforts .
In July 2024 , the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management ( BOEM ) cancelled its second and latest scheduled lease sale in the Gulf , citing a “ lack of competitive interest ” in the four lease areas , but announced that it would explore an unsolicited lease request it received from US renewable energy developer Hecate Energy to develop two areas off the Texas coast .
Despite those setbacks , Avondale Global Gateway in southeast Louisiana reached a milestone in July , when Louisiana ’ s first wind turbine and its components arrived at the terminal after being shipped from Ireland . The 187- foot turbine will primarily serve a research function , gauging the ability of turbines to withstand hurricanes .
“ All of this will lead to being able to have technologically advanced turbines in the Gulf of Mexico ,” Jeff Keever , government affairs representative for Avondale ’ s terminal operator T . Parker Host , told the Journal of Commerce . “ This is the first step .”
represent 82 % of US offshore wind capacity currently under development , with another six projects in early stages on the West Coast , according to a July 2024 report by American Clean Power .
Lessons learned from the Atlantic offshore wind buildout are informing conversations taking place on the West Coast , where ports including Los Angeles and Long Beach are investing in infrastructure that will eventually support floating offshore wind terminals in the deep waters of the Pacific Ocean .
But Strogen said floating offshore wind development on the West Coast has been “ held hostage by the two Ps : politics and permitting .”
“ I ’ m not hearing about lack of wiring , lack of steel , lack
Jeff Keever Government Affairs Representative , T . Parker Host
Gulf Wind Technology
Jeremy Slayton Spokesperson , Dominion Energy
Vessel market headway
Key to the offshore wind supply chain is the availability of vessels to transport and install equipment . Worldwide , few specialized offshore wind turbine installation vessels ( WTIVs ) exist , and the only US-flagged WTIV , Dominion Energy ’ s Charybdis , remains under construction .
Dominion spokesperson Jeremy Slayton told the Journal of Commerce that the vessel is on pace for completion by the end of 2024 or early 2025 .
In the US , the offshore wind installation process is governed by the Jones Act , a series of federal laws prohibiting non-US-flag vessels from moving cargo or people between US ports . Because the law includes movement between ports and offshore wind installation sites , US offshore projects have had to find workarounds in the absence of a US-flagged WTIV .
When Dominion built its two pilot turbines for its 2.6- GW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project , for example , the company staged those components in Canada and was therefore able to use non-Jones Act transport .
“ For two turbines , that works . But when you ’ re looking at building 176 , that ’ s not feasible ,” Slayton said .
Charlie Papavizas , head of the maritime practice at Washington , DC-based law firm Winston & Strawn , said that despite the eventual need for more vessels to support the US offshore wind buildout , the vessel market has been holding its own in the current , slowed-down market . He points to the use of the Orion and the May completion of the ECO Edison , the first US-flagged offshore wind service operations vessel , as examples .
“ The United States is putting in turbines every day ,” he said . “ A few years ago , we weren ’ t doing that .”
email : autumn @ autumngiusti . com
8 Journal of Commerce | November 2024 www . joc . com