b'WIND CARGO TRADE TO INCREASE FOR BOOMING GALVESTONGalveston provided these2022 cargo statistics:Bulk Grains. 730,000 tonsBulk Fertilizer. 229,300 tonsBulk Liquids2 million tonsFresh Fruit. 560,000 tonsRoll-on/Roll-off 440,000 tonsWind & General Cargo. 74,000 tons* By Tad Thompson, AJOT *includes 1,078 wind turbine piecesSeptember 2023 | Published in AJOT Issue #757With passage of federal legislation renewing tax credits for windHe cites the following advantages for Galveston moving wind turbine projects, wind cargo imports are expected to increase incargo by truck and rail to destinations across Texas and the Mid-the first half of 2024, reports Rodger Rees, Galveston Wharves portwest:director and CEO for the Port of Galveston. Located 45 minutes from open seasThis means great business will get better for Galveston.Serviced by two Class 1 railroads with some of the best clear-In a written response to questions from AJOT, Rees indicatesances to get the large components to their destinationsthat project cargo, particularly wind turbine components, is a majorDirect, 10-minute drive to Interstate 45revenue and jobs generator at the port. In 2022, Galveston importedExperiencedlaborforceconsistentlypraisedbyourwind 1,078 turbine pieces with a total weight of 74,000 tons. logistics companiesWeve been moving wind turbine parts through our port for moreCriticaltruckandrailclearancesontransportationroutes than a decade. As this sustainable energy industry has grown, sofrom the port to cargo destinationshas the amount of wind turbine cargo we move, Rees says. Gal- West Port Cargo Complex Expansion Plansveston handles wind generation parts from major manufacturers, including General Electric, Siemens-Gamesa, Acciona-Nordex andRees indicates the port is excited about plans to improve and Vestas.expand its West Port Cargo Complex in accordance with its 20-year Due to Galvestons prime location, transportation infrastructurestrategic master plan.and experienced labor, the port is a primary point of entry for windGalveston is seeking state grants, along with port revenues, to components from Mexico, Canada, Europe, and Asia. fund roughly $50 million in waterfront improvements to expand The Port of Galveston, grantor of Free Trade Zone 036, is workingdocks and laydown areas. The port staff has already prepared engi-with a private partner to designate three large parcels of propertyneering design and partial construction drawings for a 1,340-foot-totaling over 40 acres as a free trade zone to accommodate largelong berth across two open slips in its cargo area.wind projects.This is expected to attract several wind-farm devel- Rees says that eventually, the port will fill two outdated slips and opers to Galveston to take advantage of the cost-savings relatedmake other changes to expand the complex to 90 acres.to the designation. ReestellsAJOTthatnospecialinfrastructureisrequiredto handle project cargo. The components are transferred from the vessel by ship cranes and shore cranes directly to truck trailers and rail cars.30'