Crowley Advances Salem Wind Terminal with Closing of Land

Crowley purchased 42 acres in Salem, Massachusetts, to advance the state's second major offshore wind port terminal.

FREMONT, CA: “By closing on the property, Crowley, the City of Salem, and AVANGRID as the ports anchor tenant have moved one step closer to creating a dedicated port terminal to support the U.S. offshore wind industry's growth. Crowley Wind Services. We will continue to focus on delivering a high performing terminal that the community can take pride in, providing economic opportunity and environmental sustainability," says Bob Karl, senior vice president and general manager. Crowley has completed the acquisition of 42 acres in Salem, Massachusetts, the most recent step toward constructing the state's second major offshore wind port terminal.

Crowley and the City of Salem have partnered to build the Salem Harbor Wind Terminal. AVANGRID's Commonwealth Wind and Park City Wind projects are the port's major tenants. The terminal will serve as a logistical and operations hub for turbine pre-assembly, transportation, staging activities, and component storage. Crowley Wind Services will operate the terminal, the company's business arm focused on assisting in the development of renewable wind energy resources.

A terminal site project will involve the reconstruction of the former Salem Harbor Station, a decommissioned coal-fired generating facility, creating more than 800 jobs (FTE job years) to support the construction and operation of the wind project.

“Crowley's acquisition of this site in Salem marks an important step forward for Massachusetts offshore wind industry and the development of the critical port infrastructure needed to build a clean energy future in the United States,” says AVANGRID CEO Pedro Azagra. “The Commonwealth Wind project is a transformational opportunity that will bring substantial jobs, investment, and clean, reliable energy to Massachusetts, and we are pleased to work with Crowley and the City of Salem as this important port project moves forward.”

“Crowley's acquisition of this property represents a major milestone in our shared efforts to transform Salem Harbor into a world-class offshore wind port,” says Salem Mayor Kimberley Driscoll. “I am grateful to both Crowley and Avangrid for their commitment to our partnership and to our community. This critical project will bring hundreds of good-paying jobs and millions in direct investment to Salem and is critical to the Commonwealth's ability to achieve our clean energy targets.”

The Commonwealth Wind project is the largest offshore wind project in New England. It will provide enough energy to power 750,000 homes yearly while creating 11,000 full-time equivalent employees during the project's lifetime. 400,000 Connecticut residents will receive electricity from Park City Wind, named after Bridgeport.

Construction of the wind terminal will begin in the summer of 2023 and conclude in 2025.