October 29, 2024 — New Bedford officials are demanding more consideration for fishermen as the offshore wind industry continues to expand.
These concerns are not new but the frustration is starting to grow.
Recently, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management proposed a Central Atlantic 2 Call Area, showing development plans that could potentially impact New Bedford fishermen.
October 25, 2024 — The city’s Port Authority published a letter to offshore wind regulators Wednesday, raising “grave concerns” over a 13.4 million acre tract of ocean recently opened to wind farm developers in the Central Atlantic that could put up to $2 billion in commercial fishing revenue at risk.
“BOEM has painted with too broad a brush,” New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell wrote in the letter to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). “We believe that the new Mid-Atlantic call areas must be cut back from existing scallop and other fishery access areas, which still would leave ample room for nearby states to achieve their offshore wind capacity goals.”
In August, BOEM began soliciting proposals for offshore wind developers to lease 13.4 million acres of ocean off New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina. It is the second of such sales in the Central Atlantic and the fifth offshore wind lease sale held during the Biden-Harris administration. The first lease sale in the Central Atlantic was completed also in August, yielding nearly $93 million from developers Equinor Wind US and Virginia Electric and Power Company.
October 15, 2024 — New Bedford takes great pride in its port, and its scallopers account for a significant portion of its value.
It’s proven that the Port of New Bedford has great value.
New Bedford still ranks as the top commercial fishing port by value as recently as 2022, according to figures released by the National Marine Fisheries Service, Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, known as NOAA Fisheries.
New Bedford had landed $443.2 million worth of seafood in 2022, again placing it at the top of NOAA Fisheries’ revenue list.
That’s thanks in large part to all the scalloper landings in New Bedford contributing to the port’s value. Scallop landings accounted for 84 percent of the value.
Read the full article at the Standard-Times
October 10, 2024 — New Bedford celebrated the opening of the North Terminal expansion Tuesday on the city’s waterfront.
The expansion is one of the main elements of a decade-long redevelopment plan for the Port of New Bedford, and it aims to serve multiple industries, including commercial fishing and offshore wind.
The project added about 5.5 acres to the terminal and 660 feet of new bulkhead along the water. The bulkhead is now 965 feet long.
Federal, state, and local officials gathered at the terminal for a ribbon cutting.
Gordon Carr, executive director of the New Bedford Port Authority, said the expanded terminal will strengthen the port’s competitiveness.
October 10, 2024 — There’s a maritime version of the old Mark Twain adage to buy land because they’re not making any more of it.
New Bedford Port Authority Executive Director Gordon Carr said it goes something like this: “Waterfront industrial property needs to be preserved at all costs because they’re not making any more of it.”
He added with a smile, “And while I tend to agree with that, today, welcome to New Bedford — because we did make more of it.”
The remark drew applause from the crowd gathered under a tent at 242 Herman Melville Blvd. on the New Bedford waterfront Tuesday to celebrate the completion of the North Terminal Extension Project.
October 10, 2024 — New Bedford has officially welcomed a new, $42 million multi-purpose port terminal to its working waterfront.
The 10-acre North Terminal on the lower Acushnet River includes a 961-foot bulkhead, a warehouse, and a large flat space with direct rail access. The project was designed to support a variety of maritime tenants, including offshore wind companies and commercial fishers.
Dignitaries gathered Tuesday for a ribbon-cutting. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey delivered remarks, as did U.S. Rep. Bill Keating and Mayor Jon Mitchell. New Bedford Port Authority director Gordon Carr; EPA Region 1 director David Cash; Tom Morkan, regional director of MARAD, the federal marine administration; and a host of state and local officials were on hand.
October 8, 2024 — The following was released by the New Bedford Port Authority:
Senators Elizabeth Warren, Edward Markey, and Representative William Keating joined Mayor Jon Mitchell and other officials Tuesday to celebrate the successful completion of the North Terminal expansion project, a new maritime facility that will strengthen the Port’s competitiveness in fishing, offshore wind, and other industries.
The expansion of North Terminal is the latest piece of the modernization of the Port of New Bedford. Over the past 10 years, the Port has seen the largest set of infrastructure upgrades in generations which, upon completion, will top $1 billion.
The completed terminal has 965 linear feet of bulkhead, provides 10.5 acres of terminal space, and utilizes a 56,000-square-foot warehouse with direct rail and road access. With upgraded bulkheads, new berthing facilities, enhanced dredging, and expanded laydown space, North Terminal is designed to streamline logistics for businesses and facilitate future Port expansions.
“The Port of New Bedford is the primary driver of economic activity in Southeastern Massachusetts. The North Terminal expansion project was a critical step to advancing the Port’s ability to meet the emerging demands of New Bedford’s offshore wind and maritime technology industries. I want to thank Senators Markey and Warren, Rep. Keating and the rest of the federal delegation, Gov. Healey and our state delegation, and everyone at the New Bedford Port Authority and on the local level for helping us overcome various legal, financial, and engineering challenges to get this project to the finish line,” said Mayor Jon Mitchell.
Funding for the $42.7 million project came from a mix of local, state, and federal sources, including:
The North Terminal extension improves efficiency, helps reduce costs of commercial enterprises based in the Port, and will create new opportunities for enhanced commercial fishing, marine construction, and offshore wind operations. The improvements will also extend the useful life of existing Port resources and are a crucial component of the Port’s long-term strategy to adapt to growing demands, especially with the emerging offshore wind industry and the increasing needs of commercial fisheries.
“Massachusetts has a great team, and our federal, state, and local leadership delivers results,” said Senator Warren. “I fought for over $15 million to help the Port of New Bedford gain a competitive edge, and I’ll keep pushing to bring home even more investments to improve infrastructure across the Commonwealth.”
“The Port of New Bedford is a triple threat: the number one fishing port by value in the nation, an innovator on offshore wind development, and a regional leader in maritime technology industries,” said Senator Edward J. Markey. “This expanded infrastructure will be a game changer for New Bedford and beyond. As we cut the ribbon on this project funded by federal, state, and city investments, which I was proud to help fight for in Congress, I look forward to working with the City as we continue to put new dollars into this waterfront economic engine, for New Bedford and beyond.”
“The Port of New Bedford is an economic driver for our entire region, and the completion of the North Terminal Expansion will ensure that the port continues to lead on fishing and offshore wind for decades to come,” said Congressman Bill Keating. “This project is the successful result of many different federal, state, and local partners working together to make sure the Port of New Bedford can grow, evolve, and remain competitive which will continue to drive our economy and put food on tables across the South Coast.”
This milestone marks a pivotal step in reinforcing New Bedford’s position as the nation’s leading seaport for commercial fishing, offshore wind development, and maritime industries. This project has further cemented the Port of New Bedford as a vital hub for New England’s economy.
“The significant state investments in this project coupled with strong support from our federal partners will help spur major job creation in New Bedford to serve the needs of our commercial fishing industry as well as the newly emerging offshore wind activity in an increasingly busy port,” said Senator Mark Montigny, who has led the legislative efforts to steer substantial state investments across New Bedford’s working waterfront. “The expanded North Terminal will keep New Bedford at the forefront of maritime activity now and into the future.”
“This project came to fruition because of the continuing commitment our federal, state, and local leaders make to position the Port of New Bedford for the future. The North Terminal project exemplifies our obligation to provide first-rate infrastructure that supports the thriving maritime industries of New Bedford. This development will allow us to meet the needs of our fishing fleet, welcome new offshore wind ventures, and foster regional economic growth,” said Gordon Carr, executive director of the New Bedford Port Authority.
The North Terminal expansion is part of a decade-long reimagining of the Port under Mayor Mitchell’s Administration with more than $1 billion in infrastructure investments to support the offshore wind, commercial fishing, and marine technology industries. With projects totaling more than $150 million currently in development and construction, the Port of New Bedford continues to improve operations, attract new businesses, and promote economic prosperity throughout Greater New Bedford.
October 8, 2024 — For more than a year, big, blue heavy lift vessels have carried gargantuan GE Vernova wind turbine components into the Port of New Bedford, where, soon after, a barge carries them out as a set: three blades, two tower pieces, and one nacelle.
But on Friday, one of the delivery vessels, the Rolldock Sun, was seen carrying at least two blades out of New Bedford. It was not headed for the Vineyard Wind site, according to vessel tracking websites, but to France: specifically, the Port of Cherbourg, where GE Vernova has a blade manufacturing facility.
The Rolldock Sun had come into port from Cherbourg a few days earlier with four blades visible on deck. Blades for the project have been shipped from factories in Canada and France, but it is unclear how many have come from each.
Friday’s transit raises the question of why the wind project — which spends considerable time and money shipping major components from Canada and France into the U.S. — would ship blades overseas from New Bedford.
October 7, 2024 — The New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center has a new look and a host of events coming up in October and November, including interesting films, live music and a new exhibit entitled “Casting a Wider Net.”
We talked this week with Joe Ritter, the FHC’s Director of Programs, about the upcoming schedule and the new look of its Bethel Street headquarters.
“A lot of hard work went into the design and creation of our new exterior look,” Ritter said. “Our recently-hired Marketing Specialist Matt Moyer Bell, a local artist, designed the project with help from Reidar’s Trawl Gear and Marine Supply. He also worked with local photographers to curate their photos of New Bedford’s Working Waterfront. ‘Catch the Tradition’ is a permanent art installation for us.”
September 24, 2024 — The state’s alternative-energy development agency has chosen a waterfront spot for a center devoted to ocean-related power research, building and field-testing equipment, and cultivating new enterprises.
The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center wants to lease less than half an acre from the New Bedford Port Authority on MacArthur Boulevard encompassing the 19th-century Bourne Counting House and a parking area next to it.
The stone structure would provide office and meeting space. A portion of the parking lot is slated for a new structure for building prototypes for ocean-related energy technology — chiefly, but not exclusively, wind power.
“This project is an exciting new opportunity for New Bedford to develop technology businesses, generate new demand for existing businesses, and elevate its stature as a leader in maritime industries,” Mayor Jon Mitchell wrote in a letter to the City Council, sending along a proposed 15-year lease for consideration this week.
Mitchell wrote that the center — to be established next to Merrill’s restaurant, across MacArthur Boulevard from the Fairfield Inn & Suites — “will establish a platform on which marine technology of all types can be developed and commercialized into new businesses.” He said it will also serve as a meeting point for industry conferences.