Salem Land Purchase Brings North Shore Wind Terminal One Step Closer

SALEM, MA — Plans to bring an offshore wind energy terminal to Salem became a little more in focus on Wednesday with Crowley Wind Services' purchase of 42 acres of land from the city to redevelop the former Salem Harbor Station and coal fuel plant site.

Crowley announced the purchase that will allow the terminal's use as the logistics and operations center for turbine pre-assembly, transportation, staging activities and storage on the site.

Terms of the purchase were not disclosed.

"By closing on the property, Crowley, the city of Salem, and AVANGRID, as the port's anchor tenant, have moved one step closer to creating a dedicated port terminal to support the U.S. offshore wind industry's growth," said Bob Karl, Crowley Wind Services senior vice president and general manager, said in a statement. "We will continue to focus on delivering a high-performing terminal that the community can take pride in, providing economic opportunity and environmental sustainability."

Crowley said the terminal site redevelopment will create more than 800 full-time jobs in support of the construction and staging of wind projects and daily operations.

"Crowley's acquisition of this site in Salem marks an important step forward for Massachusetts' offshore wind industry and the development of the critical port infrastructure needed to build a clean energy future in the United States," said AVANGRID CEO Pedro Azagran said in a statement. "The Commonwealth Wind project is a transformational opportunity that will bring substantial jobs, investment, and clean reliable energy to Massachusetts, and we are pleased to work with Crowley and the city of Salem as this important port project moves forward."

Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll, who is also a candidate for lieutenant governor, called the land purchase "a major milestone" in the public-private partnership and called the offshore wind development "essential to the Commonwealth's ability to achieve our clean energy targets."

City officials recently said they will use a $50,000 state grant to help train future North Shore employees in the city's pending offshore wind energy industry.

The equity workforce grant from the state Clean Energy Center and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs will target aspects of the "Blue Economy" — the utilization of ocean resources for economic growth — and focus heavily on the potential workers from environmental
justice communities.

Construction of the wind terminal is expected to start in summer 2023, with the terminal complete in 2025.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)