Canadian Port Grows as Staging Point for U.S. Offshore Wind

The Port Argentia in the eastern reaches of Canada’s Newfoundland is using its strategic position and available land to develop a business in staging for U.S. offshore wind farms. Port officials reported they have signed a contract with Denmark’s Scan Global Logistics which is responsible for transporting the wind turbine blades which will be staged in 2024 and 2025 before installation.

“Capitalizing on our place as North America’s first monopile marshaling port, we’re now positioned to further expand our capabilities by securing a contract to store and marshal 220 offshore wind turbine blades,” said Scott Penney, CEO of Port of Argentia. “The addition of wind turbine blades demonstrates our unique storage capacity and adds to our portfolio of offshore wind projects.”

The arrangement with Scan Global Logistics, a global transportation and logistics, will see 220 wind turbine blades arrive via heavy transport vessels at Argentia, beginning this fall and continuing into 2025. The port has entered into a lease and services agreement for marshaling and security services utilizing a 12-hectare bonded yard at Argentia.

Ultimately, vessels will pick up the large constructions and deliver the blades for installation at wind farms off the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S. The name of the project is not revealed due to the sensitive nature of the project which skirts the U.S. Jones Act requirements and demands from U.S. states for the use of union labor and local ports. 

The blades, however, are massive measuring several hundred feet and requiring large storage spaces. It is perfect for the Port of Argentia, which was formerly the site of a U.S. naval base in southeastern Newfoundland. Argentia is being redeveloped into a heavy industrial seaport and seeking opportunities with marine transportation, renewable energy, aquaculture, offshore oil, and mining. 

Utilizing its existing infrastructure and vast land assets, the port is making available over 70 hectares of paved runways from the former U.S. naval station, within 6,500 feet of quayside, for the marshaling operation. The first operation began in August 2023, with the arrival of Boskalis’ heavy lift vessels transporting monopiles. The port said it was scheduled to receive and store up to 120 monopiles which would be used for future installation in the U.S.

In 2024, the port also entered into initial agreements with the Port of Hamburg (Germany) as part of the effort to develop a future green hydrogen export business. The governments of Germany and Canada supported the project which calls for the production of green hydrogen in Newfound that would be shipped to Germany as an energy source.