Vineyard and Mayflower Wind have signed lease agreements to use the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal as the primary staging and deployment base.
Under the agreement, they will use the Massachusetts facility for the construction and installation of their offshore wind projects located in federal waters south of Martha’s Vineyard.
The Vineyard Wind lease is an amended and revised agreement to accommodate a shift in the project schedule stemming from additional review and permitting required by the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
Vineyard Wind CEO Lars T. Pedersen said: “Vineyard Wind is already proud to call New Bedford home, and with the signing of this lease agreement, we mark yet another step forward in bringing our first project to fruition.
“Once construction begins, the Marine Commerce Terminal will become the birthplace of an entirely new industry, with jobs and opportunities for local residents that simply don’t exist today.
The new lease agreement between Mayflower Wind is based on an option to lease the Terminal executed in August 2019.
President and CEO of Mayflower Wind Michael Brown said: “We look forward to creating thousands of good-paying jobs during the construction and installation of our project, anchored around this critical infrastructure investment.”
Both leases contain limited provisions for shared use during limited time periods at the beginning and end of the lease period to provide flexibility in project schedules.
These lease agreements commit the facility to full-time offshore wind work from 2023 into 2027 and are worth more than €27m.
Governor Charlie Baker said: “These lease agreements with Vineyard Wind and Mayflower Wind are another major milestone for offshore wind in Massachusetts.
“With this announcement, the Commonwealth continues its national leadership on clean energy and ensures Massachusetts workers will benefit from the jobs and economic opportunities provided by this new industry.”
Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito added: “We are pleased the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal will support the completion of these important projects that will provide clean, affordable energy to Commonwealth ratepayers.
“With commitments for use of the Terminal into 2027, New Bedford, the greater South Coast region, and the Commonwealth will see new local jobs and economic growth from this growing clean energy industry.”
Through competitive procurement processes, Vineyard Wind and Mayflower Wind were selected in May 2018 and October 2019, respectively, to provide a total of 1600MW of cost-effective renewable offshore wind power to Massachusetts.
Together the two projects represent major steps in meeting the state’s greenhouse gas emission reduction mandates and growing the Commonwealth’s clean energy economy.
Constructed and operated by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal is a 29-acre heavy-lift facility designed to support the construction, assembly, and deployment of offshore wind projects, as well as handle bulk, break-bulk, container, and large specialty marine cargo.
The first port in North America specifically purpose-built to support the staging and installation of offshore wind components, the terminal has been engineered to sustain mobile crane and storage loads that rival the highest capacity ports in the world.
Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides added: “The New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal will help Vineyard Wind and Mayflower Wind bring more than 1600 MW of clean, renewable energy to power our homes and businesses and will engage Massachusetts workers and companies to pioneer this industry in the United States.”