Crowley to develop and operate California wind terminal at Port of Humboldt Bay

US company Crowley has signed an agreement with the Port of Humboldt Bay to exclusively negotiate to be the developer and operator of a terminal to serve as California’s first hub to serve offshore wind energy installations. The privately held company, headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, will negotiate with the port to lease and serve as the port’s developer of the Humboldt Bay Offshore Wind Heavy Lift Marine Terminal.

Services at the new terminal will support tenants in the manufacturing, installation and operation of offshore wind floating platforms, use of large heavy cargo vessels and providing crewing and marshalling services in the Pacific waters.

The port developed a conceptual master plan for the site in 2021 and anticipates completing permitting and design in mid-2024. The agreement with Crowley focuses on a 98-acre Phase I, with options to expand on adjoining land in additional phases.

On December 6, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will hold the first offshore wind lease sale on the country’s west coast, for five areas that total 373,268 acres on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) off central and northern California.