Shell-EDF sign on for New Jersey Wind Port staging space for giga-scale Atlantic Shores array
Project is the second developer to ink a letter of intent for marshalling capacity at the nation's largest greenfield port infrastructure investment
The Shell-EDF joint venture (JV) behind the Atlantic Shores offshore wind project signed a letter of intent with New Jersey for marshalling space at the US state’s signature wind port.
Atlantic Shores will lease 35 acres at the New Jersey Wind Port (NJWP) in Salem County in the state’s southern reaches for marshalling its 1.5GW project slated to begin installation in 2026. The lease is expected to start in mid-2026 for a period of up to three years with options to extend.
NJWP “offers outstanding waterside access without barriers to transporting assembled turbines vertically and allows us to tap into New Jersey’s highly skilled talent pool and robust workforce development programs,” said Atlantic Shores CEO Joris Veldhoven.
The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) expects to complete construction of the $488m phase one this year. When both phases are completed in 2026, the port will cover over 200 acres – the largest in the US – and feature two staging quays as well as major nacelle assembly and other component manufacturing space.
Atlantic Shores has selected Vestas V 236-15MW turbines for the project and the Danish OEM will build a nacelle assembly plant at the port in support of the project. NJEDA has received 16 offers to lease manufacturing capacity at the wind port.
“Atlantic Shores’ commitment in Salem County affirms the critical importance of the Wind Port to the nation’s offshore wind industry and toward a more robust, sustainable New Jersey economy,” said governor Murphy.
This is the second developer to commit to NJWP, following Orsted, which with partner local utility PSEG will stage its 1.1GW Ocean Wind 1 project from there.
New Jersey has emerged as a leader in the offshore wind sector in the US, with 3.75GW of capacity already contracted on an 11GW mandate by 2040, the nation's largest. The state's Round 3 tender for up to 4GW is slated for later this year.
This public spending is sparking a private sector boom, including a $200m monopile maker by German steel fabricator EEW at Paulsboro, New Jersey that will supply foundations to Atlantic Shores.
Port shortage
The Northeast US lacks the massive industrial ports of northern Europe or the US Gulf of Mexico, which will constrain staging activities and potentially lead to delays in offshore construction.