Builder Specializes in Jones Act-Compliant Offshore Wind Support Vessels
Maritime operator Americraft Marine has taken control of a shipyard in Florida that specializes in the construction of Jones Act-compliant offshore wind support vessels.
The acquisition of St. Johns Ship Building in Palatka near Jacksonville would help address the “dire need” in the US for modern, eco-friendly vessels, said Americraft Marine, a subsidiary of New York-based conglomerate Libra Group.
“Our goal is simple: to build a best-in-class Jones Act-compliant shipyard,” said Omear Khalid, CEO of Americraft Marine.
According to St. Johns, the shipyard boasts an 850-tonne dry dock, a crane capacity of 500 tonnes, 2,400 feet of water frontage, two rail launch systems, a fabrication site and carpentry, electrical and machine shops.
The company can deliver steel and aluminium work boats including offshore supply vessels, ferries, tugs, landing crafts, deck and tank barges and general cargo vessels.
Such vessels will be crucial for the buildout of offshore wind energy in the US.
Uncertainty in recent years over leasing and permitting has obstructed offshore wind development, but under the Biden administration the fledging industry is gaining momentum, with some 30 gigawatts of capacity being targeted by 2030.
The government has already given the go-ahead to two commercial-scale wind projects and unveiled a new leasing strategy for the Interior Department to hold up to seven offshore wind auctions by 2025.
The shortfall of specialist ships to deliver turbines, service infrastructure and ferry workers to installation sites is compounded by the protectionist Jones Act.
The century-old statute was extended in 2020 to cover offshore renewable energy projects, barring foreign-flagged vessels from transporting cargo between American ports and wind farms located in US waters.
The law is a headache for breakbulk movers based outside the US, who are forced to either contract American-flagged vessels to ship components from hub ports to installation vessels, or take cargo directly from bases in Europe or Asia, bypassing the need to dock in the US.
The development of offshore wind in the US is set to be a hot topic at Breakbulk Americas 2022, taking place on 27-29 September at the George R. Brown Convention Centre, Houston.
Click the registration link below by July 15 to qualify for the early bird rate.
