New Deepwater Berth Opens to Accommodate Offshore Wind Vessels in New Bedford

The New Bedford Foss Marine Terminal (NBFMT) this month opened its first deepwater berth to accommodate vessels serving North America’s emerging offshore wind sector.

This milestone, reached after two years of demolition and construction, marks a crucial step in Phase II of the terminal's development. The newly opened berth, designed specifically for offshore wind service vessels, features a 300-foot bulkhead and has been enhanced by extensive dredging. These upgrades are set to improve the terminal's functionality for both domestic and international vessels.

Andrew Saunders, president of NBFMT and a New Bedford native, highlighted the transformative impact of the project and emphasized the economic benefits for the local community. The terminal's development is expected to facilitate a monthly rotation of up to 300 offshore workers, injecting vitality into New Bedford’s local economy.

“It’s great to be part of a project that is transforming a derelict power generating station into a state-of-the-art offshore wind hub able to support projects here in the U.S. Northeast,” Saunders said. “All of the old, outdated buildings are now gone and the recently completed waterside improvements position us to be the gateway to the offshore wind lease blocks. The opening of this new deepwater berth is just the beginning with more waterside and land side improvements that will occur over the next few years.  

“We are very excited about what the future will bring for the industry and for the regional economy as a whole. We’re building up to provide advanced management and warehouse space for partners who are servicing the burgeoning Northeast wind industry. With the opening of the deepwater berth, a consistent circulation of industry workers will spend a few days in town every month spending their company dollars on local businesses. Physically and financially, it’s truly a breath of fresh air for New Bedford.”

The site has a history of operating within the energy sector dating back to the whaling era more than a century ago then as a coal and oil facility through the modern era. Today, the 27-acre private termina is managed by Foss Offshore Wind in partnership with local business leaders, having advanced through a collaborative effort involving city, state and federal agencies. Notable contributors include New Bedford Mayor Jonathan Mitchell, the City Council, the Port of New Bedford, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), which has invested $15 million into the project.

Completion of the deepwater berth was supported by the City of New Bedford’s Phase V Dredge Program, which has removed over 80,000 cubic yards of contaminated material from the harbor. This effort is part of a broader initiative to clear over 500,000 cubic yards of legacy contamination from New Bedford harbor. Once fully operational, the terminal will feature four large berths and a floating pier system capable of accommodating up to eleven offshore wind construction and maintenance vessels.

Foss aims to emulate the NBFMT model in multiple East and West Coast markets as the wind industry grows over the coming years, according to Foss Offshore Wind president Joel Whitman in Boston.

“Our nation needs electricity and we need it from resources that don’t continue to send environmentally damaging materials into the atmosphere,” he said. “The terminal is an investment in the people and ports necessary to make this energy transition possible.”

Future Phase III Completion Rendering (Image: New Bedford Foss Marine Terminal)