The Port of Virginia (POV) has debuted the first shipment of components for the Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project.
According to POV, personnel using specialist handling equipment offloaded eight huge monopile foundations at Portsmouth Marine Terminal (PMT) over the course of two and a half days.
The port has converted a former cargo terminal to accommodate the huge and heavy components needed in the installation of offshore wind turbines.
Due to their length and weight – more than 250-feet-long and approximately 1,500 tonnes on average – monopiles and comparable components necessitate a deep-water marine terminal capable of managing the severe stresses.
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Stephen A. Edwards, CEO and Executive Director of the Virginia Port Authority, said: “We are investing in PMT to ensure it can handle this kind of cargo and it easily passed this first test. Our work here is progressing according to schedule and this terminal is well-situated to meet the needs of the CVOW project.
“There is going to be a lot activity taking place here during the next year, and The Port of Virginia is going to establish itself as the Mid-Atlantic’s logistics hub for offshore wind.”
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The port is reportedly investing more than $220 million to fortify the cargo yard’s pavement, replace the berth, and modify the vessel mooring layout.
According to POV, the CVOW project will involve the installation of 176 offshore wind turbines on a lease location 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach.
“This a strategic decision by Dominion Energy to take advantage of Virginia’s world-class port,” Edwards added.
“By welcoming Dominion Energy and allowing it to leverage PMT, the port is contributing to the development of an almost entirely new industry. The result is job creation, economic investment, diversification of the Virginia economy and clean, renewable energy.”
