Connecticut’s Port of New London completes berth upgrade to facilitate South Fork Wind project

A new delivery berth, the Northeast Bulkhead, has been completed at Connecticut’s Port of New London, putting the port on track for the assembly and delivery of offshore wind turbines for the Ørsted and Eversource joint venture’s South Fork Wind project this spring. The delivery berth is a heavy-lift platform capable of handling loads of 5,000 pounds per square foot.

When fully completed later this year, the 40-acre New London State Pier Terminal will feature two heavy-lift platforms capable of accommodating offshore wind turbine components and a wider range of cargo than the facility had been able to service in the past. Construction of the second heavy-lift platform and southern end of the project will continue through fall without disruption to South Fork Wind operations and will be used to support the staging and assembly of two additional Ørsted/Eversource offshore wind projects, Revolution Wind and Sunrise Wind.

“The completion of the Northeast Bulkhead is a seminal milestone for the Connecticut Port Authority and substantially transforms the State Pier into a modern marine terminal, putting the Port of New London at the forefront of the new offshore wind industry and the battle to address climate change, while diversifying our regional economy,” said Ulysses Hammond, executive director of the Connecticut Port Authority, in a statement.

Terminal operator Gateway New London has been preparing for commencement of terminal operations – slated for April – by working with the US Department of Transportation regarding security of the terminal as required of similar port facilities. Gateway has concurrently been working with the Ørsted and Eversource joint venture, representatives of Siemens Gamesa and the International Longshoremen’s Association to prepare for the launch of operations.

Three offshore wind projects commissioned by Connecticut, New York and Rhode Island, with an output of approximately 1,760 megawatts, are scheduled for assembly and delivery from New London.

New London State Pier Terminal is well positioned to play a major role in the offshore wind industry due to the port’s direct access to deep water with no overhead obstructions between the port and the ocean. State Pier Terminal will also be the first port of call for Dominion’s Charybdis, the first US-built wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV).