“Hundreds if not thousands of jobs,,, New Bedford about to become hub for offshore wind
The state has announced lease agreements with Vineyard Wind and Mayflower Wind at the facility from 2023 to 2027, and are worth more than $32.5 million. “These are the two first projects that Massachusetts is involved in and they’re going to be staged their construction project from New Bedford,” New Bedford Port Authority Director Edward Anthes-Washburn said. The two 800 megawatt offshore wind projects will be over 15 miles off the East Coast, but the turbines and equipment needed to build them will be set up at the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal, video, >click to read< 10:50
Mitchell: Delays to wind projects have hurt New Bedford’s ‘first mover’ status – In this article, New Bedford Mayor Mitchell is concerned the port has missed the wind farm port development opportunity of being the lead development port of all ports! Mitchell said Friday that in some ways the delays to Vineyard Wind’s project have diminished the city’s “first mover” status in the offshore wind industry, which he called unfortunate. >click to read< 15:25
The fishing industry is expendable,,,
Its like, NAFTA revisited! Imported components (the real money), to be assembled by thousands of temporary construction workers (the Service Economy)! I watched the factories leave, along with the jobs, while the Democrats told us how great the Service Economy would be. That’s what this is. Even the grant funded-retrained former fishermen/windfarmer will disappear after the initial rush. Its tough to resist the intoxication of payola.
To think that New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal would be the choice facility is the joke of the century. The facility is hindered by shoal areas along the pier, a general lack of space on the shoreside facility.
These turbine components require a lot more space than the facility can ever provide. A field trip to a facility in Europe could have saved the taxpayer’s of Mass a pile of money if it was being seriously looked at instead of an inside scam for a chosen few.
To even think about bringing Offshore construction vessels into New Bedford Harbor and transiting through the main channel and the Hurricane Barrier is a pipe dream.
The Hurricane Barrier has many restrictions attached to it’s use, weather and wind restrictions, Fishing vessel traffic and storm closures that would prevent transits.
Both outbound and inbound commercial traffic would have to be held up to allow passage of these construction vessels. This would not just be the Barrier passage but due to their size and navigational issues would require a security zone during transit of the main channel and the inner harbor.
This will result in impeding and hazarding the Fishing Vessel traffic that is the life blood of New Bedford and has been so for centuries.
To the Port Developers ….. do your homework and get a grip with the true reality of this debacle that has been created and get your priorities in order. All it will take is one major disaster/grounding/collision to close the Harbor to ALL TRAFFIC, is that risk worth the temporary gain from such a foolhardy venture ??