Crowley Wind Services will hold an April 19 ribbon-cutting for its first West Coast office, a step toward an offshore wind and heavy lift terminal to be built at Eureka, Calif., in partnership with the Port of Humboldt Bay.
The port would support construction for floating wind turbines off Humboldt County and Morro Bay. Using a grant from the Humboldt County Headwaters Fund in 2021, the Port of Humboldt Bay developed a conceptual master plan for the site.
That led to a $10.45 million grant from the California Energy Commission, to pay for technical studies, preliminary design and pre-permitting activities. Crowley and port officials said in October 2022 that they anticipate permitting and design to be ready in mid-2024. The first phase of the project is a 98-acre tract that would serve as a laydown yard for turbine components.
As the port is developed it will support tenants working in manufacturing, installation and operation of offshore wind floating platforms, large heavy cargo vessels and providing crewing and marshalling services in the Pacific waters.
The state of California has set a goal to create at least 5 GW of offshore wind energy by 2030. The Humboldt offshore wind areas alone are projected to provide 1.6 GW of energy, capable of supplying power to up 1.6 million homes. The federal lease auction also will include the Morro Bay area, which offers 3 GW of projected energy.
The Humboldt Bay project is Crowley’s second dedicated U.S. wind service terminal project. Design and engineering are underway in Salem, Mass., for a Crowley terminal to support offshore wind projects in southern New England waters.
