First US-Built Offshore Wind Turbine Installation Vessel Launched in Texas

Virginia-based energy company Dominion Energy has announced the launch of the first U.S.-built and Jones Act-compliant offshore wind turbine installation vessel, the Charybdis.

A 472-foot vessel is being built at the Seatrium AmFELS (former Keppel AmFELS) shipyard in Brownsville, Texas, using domestically-sourced steel.

Once completed, the vessel will be homeported in Hampton Roads, Virginia, supporting the construction of Dominion’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project.

“Charybdis is vital not only to CVOW, but also to the growth of the offshore wind industry along the U.S. East Coast and is key to the continued development of a domestic supply chain by providing a homegrown solution for the installation of offshore wind turbines,” said Bob Blue, Dominion Energy’s chair, president and chief executive officer.

The vessel’s hull and infrastructure was fabricated with over 14,000 tons of domestic steel, including nearly 10,000 tons sourced from Alabama, West Virginia and North Carolina. The vessel is designed to handle turbine sizes of 12 megawatts or larger.

“Seatrium’s AmFELS shipyard has partnered with Dominion Energy in this ground-breaking project to supply the first U.S. Jones Act-compliant WTIV, Charybdis, playing a critical role in the country’s energy transition,” said said Chris Ong, Seatrium’s chief executive officer. “The U.S.-built vessel will not only contribute towards reliable, affordable and clean energy, but also benefit local communities in creating a significant local know-how and job opportunities, paving the way for future growth in the U.S. offshore wind industry.”

The 2.6 gigawatt Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project is the largest offshore wind project to receive federal approval to date. The project, located about 27 miles off Virginia Beach, will include the installation of up to 176 wind turbine generators, each with a capacity of 14.7 megawatts.

Dominion Energy said the CVOW project has now received the final federal permit required from the Environmental Protection Agency, allowing offshore construction to begin. Offshore monopile installation is set to start in May.

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