New Jersey Wind Port Project Overview

This week, Governor Murphy announced the plan to develop the New Jersey Wind Port. The 200+ acre structure would be a “first-in-the-nation infrastructure investment” and mark New Jersey as the national capital of offshore wind. This new project would provide a location for essential staging, assembly, and manufacturing activities related to offshore wind projects on the East Coast. 

Here’s a quick overview of what you need to know about the New Jersey Wind Port project:

• The Wind Port will be located in Lower Alloways Creek Township on an artificial island on the eastern shores of the Delaware River.
• The project is estimated to cost $300-400 million to build. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) is leading the development and is currently considering a range of public, private, and public-private partnership financing options. 
• Construction is planned for 2021 in two phases: Phase 1 develops a 30-acre site to accommodate marshalling activities and a 25-acre component manufacturing site. Phase 2 adds another 150+ acres to accommodate expanded marshalling activities and extensive manufacturing facilities for turbine components like blades and nacelles.
• The Wind Port has the potential to create up to 1,500 jobs for workers in industries like construction, manufacturing, port operations, and engineering.
• New Jersey has committed to using union labor to build the port.
• New Jersey is setting a new standard for equitable access to opportunity and inclusion of minority and women workers. Most jobs at the port will not require a four-year college degree. The WIND Institute will serve as a center for education, research, innovation, and workforce training related to the development of offshore wind in New Jersey.
• The project compliments New Jersey’s current plan to achieve 100 percent clean energy by 2050. New Jersey has committed to producing 7,500 megawatts of offshore wind energy by 2035.
• There is a need for new port facilities designed specifically for the offshore wind industry’s unique needs. Most existing port infrastructure along the East Coast is unable to fully accommodate the work that is involved in offshore wind development.
• This project will provide a major economic boost to Salem County in South Jersey as well as the state economy as a whole. 

Check out nj.gov/windport/ to learn more about the project.

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