Salem Offshore Wind Terminal takes major step forward

Once the site of an oil and coal-fired power plant, the agreement will enable its transformation into the second port specifically designed to support the construction of offshore windfarms in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts’s first dedicated offshore wind port is the New Bedford Wind Commerce Center, which is owned and operated by MassCEC, and is currently leased to Vineyard Wind, who in January announced the delivery of the first offshore wind power in the state.

The Salem Offshore Wind Terminal is also unique in that it is one of a very few sites that will support the construction and installation of floating offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine.

The transactions agreed by the parties include the purchase by MassCEC of more than 42 acres on Salem Harbour and the transfer of a five-acre parcel to the City of Salem, including the port’s existing deepwater berth. 

“MassCEC’s offshore wind infrastructure has given Massachusetts our competitive edge in this growing industry,” said Governor Maura Healey. 

“Adding the Salem Port to its portfolio along with the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal and the Wind Technology Testing Center, will further elevate Massachusetts as a global leader in the offshore wind industry. 

“This partnership with the City of Salem and Crowley will deliver another port built specifically for offshore wind at this critical time in the clean energy transition.”

Crowley, which purchased the property in 2022, will manage the site redevelopment and improvements and then serve as the terminal operator, entering into a lease agreement with MassCEC for the ongoing utilisation of the property as an offshore wind marshalling port with priority for offshore wind projects serving Massachusetts. The City of Salem has leased the berth and its acreage for the same purpose. 

Crowley’s Wind Services business unit will start construction later in 2024, strengthening site infrastructure to accommodate heavy machinery and equipment. It will also construct a second berth and upgrade the City berth to the same standard. The project will also require dredging in the harbour channel and the port is due to open in 2026.