Vineyard Wind, a joint venture between Avangrid Renewables, and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), teamed up with Shoreline Offshore, a joint venture between the Quinn family and SEA.O.G Offshore to build out a berthing and fueling area for crew transfer vessels (CTVs).
Under the agreement, Vineyard Wind will provide $750,000 in funding through its industry accelerator fund, which is co-managed by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), to support the acquisition of two floating barges to meet the berthing needs of Vineyard Wind and future developers.
The barges will be located on the northern side of Pope’s Island, which is fully protected by the New Bedford Hurricane Barrier, and help developers work during both the construction and operations and maintenance phases of the different projects. In addition to the barges, Shoreline Offshore will upgrade its existing facilities, including the addition of fuel tanks and other infrastructure needed to serve New Bedford’s multiple maritime industries.
Once installed, the floats will be able to berth up to six CTVs and meet the specifications of the offshore wind industry, with access to a fueling station, potable water, ramp, and full security. This project will also increase fueling capacity in the New Bedford Harbor, which is currently limited to one terminal, Vineyard Wind said. Shoreline Offshore is currently working on final designs and permitting for the fuel terminal and expects it to be installed and operational by April 2023.
Once operational in 2023, the 800 MW Vineyard Wind located 15 miles off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, will generate electricity for more than 400,000 homes and businesses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
