b'16American Journal ofTransportation ajot.comWind cargo trade to increase for booming GalvestonBy Tad Thompson, AJOTWith passage of federal legislation renew- and Asia.ing tax credits for wind turbine projects, windThePortofGalveston,grantorofFree cargoimportsareexpectedtoincreaseinTradeZone036,isworkingwithaprivate thefirsthalfof2024,reportsRodgerRees,partnertodesignatethreelargeparcelsof The offshore wind rollerGalveston Wharves port director and CEO forproperty totaling over 40 acres as a free trade the Port of Galveston. zonetoaccommodatelargewindprojects. This means great business will get betterThis is expected to attract several wind-farm coaster pushes on infor Galveston.developers to Galveston to take advantage ofIn a written response to questions fromthe cost-savings related to the designation. the Gulf of Mexico AJOT, Rees indicates that project cargo, par- Rees tells AJOT that no special infrastruc-ticularly wind turbine components, is a majorture is required to handle project cargo. The When is auction not an auction? revenue and jobs generator at the port. In 2022,components are transferred from the vessel by Galveston imported 1,078 turbine pieces withship cranes and shore cranes directly to truck By Tad Thompson, AJOT a total weight of 74,000 tons. trailers and rail cars. Weve been moving wind turbine partsHecitesthefollowingadvantagesfor Whennoauctionbidshave shared their expertise inthrough our port for more than a decade. AsGalveston moving wind cargo by truck and rail came through at the Aug. 29offshore development, manu- thissustainableenergyindustryhasgrown,to destinations across Texas and the Midwest:deadline to buy the rights tofacturing,andmuchmore.so has the amount of wind turbine cargo we Located 45 minutes from open seasdevelop two wind farm sitesIn fact, Network analysis ofmove,Reessays.Galvestonhandleswind Serviced by two Class 1 railroads with some off the Texas coast, it was star- morethan1,600+contractsgenerationpartsfrommajormanufacturers,of the best clearances to get the large compo-tling that no bids arrived. OneintheU.S.marketshowsincluding General Electric, Siemens-Gamesa,nents to their destinationsbidwasreceivedforaGulfthat 23% are already going toAcciona-Nordex and Vestas. Direct, 10-minute drive to Interstate 45site off the Louisiana coast. Gulf firms. Due to Galvestons prime location, trans-Experienced labor force consistently praised ThisdevelopmentwasTheGulfhasbeentheportation infrastructure and experienced labor,by our wind logistics companiesparticularly startling to TexascenterofAmericanenergythe port is a primary point of entry for windCriticaltruckandrailclearanceson seaports which were expect- innovationfordecadesandcomponentsfromMexico,Canada,Europe,(BOOMINGcontinued on page 19)ingtogearupassupplythat isnt going to change.pointsformassiveoffshoreWeveseenthatcom-construction efforts. mitmentfirst-handfrom AfterthisdevelopedourNetworkmembers. And Aug. 29, the Baltimore-basedwhile it is disappointing that BusinessNetworkforOff- our Texas members will have shoreWind,releasedthistowaitalittlewhilelonger announcement:Today,theforoffshorewindintheir BureauofOceanEnergyown backyard, it will eventu-Management(BOEM)con- ally happen. (Making us wish ducted the first offshore windonce more that we had pooled leaseauctionintheGulfofcouch change.)Mexico,resultingina$5.6As for the roller coaster million bid for the Lease Arearide that is the U.S. offshore off the coast of Lake Charles,wind market, the week ended LouisianafromRWEOff- onahighwithCalifornia shore U.S. Gulf, LLC.movingaCentralizedPro-LizBurdock,thepresi- curementforoffshorewind dent and CEO of The Businessand other diverse clean energy Network shared the followingresources forward. This is big statement on Sept. 1. news.Thisend-of-session When we created the Net- effortbetweenlegislative work a decade ago, we knewleaders and the governor will establishingtheU.S.offshorespeed the states transition to wind market would be a rollera clean energy economy andIn 2022, the Port of Galveston imported 1,078 turbine pieces with a total weight of 74,000 tons.coaster-like experience. reinforcetheimportantroleACL AJOT_SailSchedule_2020_ACL2/27/209:33 AMPage 1And this week has beenpublic policy plays in the new quite the ride. Mexicoauc- energy future. uswhohaveONE SHIPofWhile this weeks resultsThoseoffirsttoughONE SHIPtheGulfofworked in offshore wind for a tion were not what so manydecade or more know that this of us had hoped to see, it stillweekwasntthe marked a step forward in theone on our roller coaster rideC ontainers, RORO, RORO, Br, Breakbulk Ceakbulk CarargogoContainerslong journey that is convertingtobuildingthisindustryto that regionand the countryits full potentialnor will as a wholeto clean energy. itlikelybethelast.Supply In fact, history is repeat- chain capacity issues, soaring ing itself. In 2015less thaninterestrates,andinflation a decade agoBOEM heldareallfactorsthatcontinue an auction off the coast of Mas- tochallengetheindividu-sachusettswhereonlytwoofalsandcompaniesworking thefourareasreceivedbids.hard every day to move our Three years later, those passed- countrytowardacleaner over areas went for a combinedandmoreaffordableenergy $405million,makingthosefuture. But what fun would a RORO Customer Serviceofuswhowereearlytotheroller coaster ride be withoutA SERVICE AL1 SERVICE AL2 SERVICE 877-918-7676OSW (offshore wind) industrythe drops that take you to theCuto Friday Cuto Thursday Cuto Monday Export Customer Servicewish we had pooled our couchnext, thrilling high point? FROM NEW YORK LOLO RORO LOLO LOLO 800-225-1235TO Transit Time Transit Time Transit Time Transit Timechange and purchased one. Oh,Myadvice?BuckleupANTWERP 1620 18Export Documentation the resale value.andkeepyoureyesontheDUBLIN 12888-802-0401Import Customer ServiceTheresnoquestioninhorizonbecausebeforeyouBELFAST 13888-802-0403mymindthattheGulfwillknow it, well have dozens ofGTEBORG 21LogisticsHAMBURG 13 17 15 22playanintegralroleinoff- projects in the water, manu- LE HAVRE17 866-821-7449shore wind, just as it alreadyfacturingfacilitieshummingLIVERPOOL 9 13 Credit & Collectionshas through the growing poolwith workers, and a thrivingLONDON GATEWAY20 19 888-225-7747of well-established firms whosupply chain. ROTTERDAM11 20'