With offshore wind coming, Salem must now build – The Salem News

SALEM While Salem was celebrating the seismic news about offshore wind coming to the Witch City, City Councilor Bob McCarthy pushed for modesty: The award is great. But now the work starts.

Earlier this month, state officials announced deals with two offshore wind developers to build a combined 1,600 megawatts of power in the Gulf of Maine, most specifically turbines around Marthas Vineyard. With that, Salem will host a marshalling facility to construct 1,200mw in turbines using as many as 42 acres of vacant space around the Salem Harbor Footprint power plant.

Officials celebrated the news as the rebirth of a port. When asked for next steps, city Planning Director Tom Daniel outlined several major paths that officials locally, regionally and state-wide must take before a single turbine leaves Salem Harbor.

The most immediate action, Daniel said, is on the part of Crowley Wind Services, a New England-based subsidiary of Crowley Maritime Corporation, which plans to buy the Footprint land and serve as the long-term offshore wind port operator for the site, per the citys original announcement.

The broad brush is theyre developing their plan. They need engineering done, work on the site. Thats the immediate next step, Daniel said. Theres multiple lanes; their engineering, the planning they need to do.

As that happens, a workforce will be needed to actually power the companies building turbines in Salem, Daniel said.

Theres a connection for workforce development, supply chain work, he said. Initially, theres going to be construction jobs, but later itll be jobs working at the marshalling facility.

Beyond workforce training, the supply chain that needs to be created can get very long when one considers what is being built: something that effectively doesnt exist in the United States.

Theres just tremendous opportunities for the region in terms of jobs both at the facility and businesses that are part of the supply chain. That doesnt have to be just manufacturers, Daniel said. The big stuff comes in over the water, and the big stuff isnt made in the United States. Thats an opportunity for the country, to start building these large corporations in the United States.

Of course, the companies delivering towering turbine blades on the water will need a functioning port to deliver through. That will also require heavy work, according to Bob Blair, a senior pilot with Essex Point Pilots, which helps guide ships in and out of regional harbors.

Were engaged with the Army Corps of Engineers. We have to do a maintenance dredge of the channel, Blair said. Theres just a ton of stuff on the water side thats the business of the remaking of a Port of Salem. Thats the biggest challenge, and the implications the technical implications have to do with the timing, because Footprint still owns the site, and there hasnt been a closing or a deed transfer.

The federal government, however, is here to help.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has announced more than $241 million in grants targeting 25 port-improvement projects in 19 states and one United States territory. That includes $2.4 million being dropped on Salem Harbor specifically.

These investments will support the shift to cleaner transportation, which will create more economic activity and good paying jobs, said Lucinda Lessley, acting maritime administrator. The Port Infrastructure Development Program is an important part of building back better for our ports, our communities, our economy, and our people.

The grant award covers improvements and enhancements to the Deep-Water Berth at the Port of Salem, the announcement read. Specific components include the construction of two mooring devices, a new catwalk, and improvements to the passenger access pathway, including revetment repair, utility upgrades, and pavement improvements.

So there are steps Crowley must take to begin design and eventual construction, steps local schools must take to train a workforce, and companies will be needed to supply the eventual operations in the Port of Salem.

Were talking about a major rebuild of the Port of Salem here, Blair said. Theres going to be a lot of labor required by various companies, whether theyre third party constructing the piers or doing the dredging. People are going to be hiring people.

Contact Dustin Luca at 978-338-2523 or DLuca@salemnews.com. Follow him at facebook.com/dustinluca or on Twitter @DustinLucaSN.

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With offshore wind coming, Salem must now build - The Salem News