Crowley Pitches Turnkey Service for Offshore Wind Farms
Crowley Maritime's shipping arm has formally launched a "New Energy" division aimed at emerging energy sectors, particularly offshore wind and LNG. Crowley has been working with LNG distribution for a long time, and it is emerging as a leading contender for wind farm development support services.
“The New Energy division is the next evolution in our prioritization of this market with a singular focus on developing and delivering access and support to more sustainable energy sources to our customers. We can draw upon our broad portfolio of engineering and naval architecture, multi-faceted supply chain solutions, and 129 years of maritime transportation," said Matt Yacavone, SVP of Crowley Shipping.
In the nascent offshore wind segment, Crowley aims to become a "total lifecycle service provider" for wind farm construction and support. It is offering a full package for wind farm developers - shoreside management for wind port terminals, transport for wind turbine components during construction, design services for new vessels, and supply chain services to cover everything needed from construction through decommissioning. Crowley's biggest deck barges - originally built for offshore modules and other heavy-lift cargo - are among the few Jones Act-compliant feeder options afloat and ready today, given the size requirements of ultra-large turbine components.
“Crowley takes the one-source concept to the next level as a lifecycle service provider,” said Jeff Andreini, vice president of Crowley's New Energy division. “Wind power companies entering the U.S. market have big needs - infrastructure and supply chain just for starters. Because of the newness of the American market, it’s hard for companies to know what they don’t know or will need. Facing this uncertainty, Crowley provides a turnkey supply chain solution for piecing these massive projects together.”
Crowley has also provided LNG distribution services since 2013, the year that it acquired Carib Energy LLC, a pioneer in small-scale LNG exports in the Caribbean region. In partnership with Pivotal LNG, it supplies ISO container-load deliveries of LNG to customers in Puerto Rico, and it holds LNG export licenses for FTA and non-FTA countries.
Crowley has also expanded its LNG portfolio to include microgrid solutions, engineering services and vessel fuel bunkering services. This includes fueling for its own LNG-powered container/roll-on roll-off (con/ro) vessels, which operate weekly services from the U.S. mainland to Puerto Rico.