New Bedford Foss Marine Terminal Opens Deep Water Berth for Offshore Wind Industry

The New Bedford Foss Marine Terminal (NBFMT) has opened its first deep water berth after two years of construction, marking a significant step in supporting North America’s emerging wind energy sector. The berth, part of Phase II of the project, is specifically designed to accommodate offshore wind service vessels and includes a 300-foot bulkhead.

“It’s great to be part of a project that is transforming a derelict power generating station into a state-of-the-art offshore wind hub able to support projects here in the US Northeast,” said Andrew Saunders, president of NBFMT. “The opening of this new deep-water berth is just the beginning with more waterside and land side improvements that will occur over the next few years.”

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The 27-acre private terminal, owned in part by Foss Offshore Wind, part of Saltchuk, has been developed through collaborations with various city, state, and federal agencies. The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) has contributed $15 million to the project so far.

To complete the deep-water berth, the City of New Bedford facilitated the dredging of more than 80,000 cubic yards of contaminated material from nearby waters. This work is part of the City’s Phase V Dredge Program, which aims to remove and encapsulate over 500,000 cubic yards of contaminated material from New Bedford harbor.

Once completed, the terminal is expected to host a monthly rotation of up to 300 offshore workers. The facility will eventually boast four large individual berths and a floating pier system capable of accommodating up to eleven offshore wind construction and operations and maintenance vessels.

Joel Whitman, president of Foss Offshore Wind, emphasized the broader implications of the project, stating, “The terminal is an investment in the people and ports necessary to make this energy transition possible.”

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