New Jersey Wind Port—Future-Proofing Design of Parcel B1 Marshalling Port

The offshore wind (OSW) industry in the United States is a relatively new industry that is poised for significant growth and development. It has led to a significant demand for US port infrastructure improvements that can support its future growth potential. OSW farms comprise large and heavy components, requiring significant laydown areas and wharfs with high ground-bearing capacities, far surpassing the other types of cargo handled by US ports. The New Jersey Wind Port (NJWP) Parcel B1 OSW marshalling port was designed to function as a marshalling facility for commercial-scale wind farm installations and wind turbine generator (WTG) components. This port will support the import, staging, preassembly, and loadout of these large components. While current commercial-scale projects in the US are primarily limited to 14 megawatts (MW) turbines, the NJWP was engineered to accommodate OSW components for turbines of approximately 20 MW or more. Future-proofing measures were integral to the port’s design, which includes structural capacities of 6,200 pounds per square foot (psf) at the marginal wharf and ground-bearing capacity of 3,000 psf at the upland yard, with provisions for 4,800 psf for nacelle storage. The NJWP can meet these loading demands while remaining adaptable to accommodate even greater loads, with the port designed to adapt to an industry with continuous advancement and uncertainty.