LR and NETSCo to develop Jones Act compliant vessel
Lloyd’s Register North
America, Inc. (LR) has signed an agreement for a joint development project
(JDP) with Northeast Technical Services Co., Inc. (NETSCo) to design and
develop a Jones Act compliant wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV).
The Jones Act, or Merchant Marine Act of 1920, requires any vessel transporting
cargo between U.S. ports, or between U.S. ports and offshore facilities,
to be built and flagged in the U.S. In 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives
passed the Expanding Access to Sustainable Energy Act which includes an
amendment that would enforce Jones Act requirements for all offshore renewable
energy production. This means that U.S.-built ships, flagged in the U.S.,
and manned by U.S. nationals will be required for the installation of wind
power plants, and for the supply and service of facilities. In addition
to this, last week the U.S. Senate passed the National Defense Authorization
Act for the fiscal year 2021. This bill includes an amendment ensuring
full enforcement of the Jones Act and other federal laws in offshore wind
development.
As part of the JDP, NETSCo engineers and naval architects will be responsible
for the concept design of the WTIV. NETSCo’s WTIV design will be focused
on meeting the requirements of current developments along the U.S. East
Coast and the U.S. Great Lakes such as crane capacity, deck space and water
depth. Another key feature of the design is that it will use hull shapes
that are common in the U.S. shipbuilding market, therefore ensuring it
could be built in U.S. shipyards.
LR will review and evaluate NETSCo’s concept design to ensure the vessel
complies with applicable rules and regulations. LR’s team of technical
compliance experts will also evaluate the design against international
codes and standards and the U.S. Coast Guard’s Code of Federal Regulations
(CFRs).
Jan Flores, Vice President of NETSCo, commented: “The lack of Jones
Act-qualified compliant wind turbine installation vessels has become a
major challenge for offshore wind turbine developers. With years of research
and development in this industry, it is a perfect opportunity for us to
leverage our engineering expertise in a strong collaborative enterprise
with LR. This collaboration was a cumulation of efforts to better support
the offshore wind turbine market with a Jones Act-qualified vessel alternative,
as well as offering conversion options for vessels that have been dry-docked
during this economic downturn. We look forward to our continued work with
LR for their guidance and expertise in classification, compliance and advisory
services in the offshore industry.”
Rafael Riva, LR’s Americas Marine & Offshore Commercial Manager, said:
“The offshore wind industry is expected to see exponential growth in
the United States. There are currently no U.S.-built wind turbine installation
vessels, and if the sector takes off as expected, there will be a pressing
requirement for such vessels. What truly sets LR apart is our in-depth
understanding of specific port logistics to handle WTIVs, from the significant
advisory work undertaken for some of the designated U.S. East Coast ports
and how this will impact the optimal operation of these vessels in the
specific environment. This collaboration with NETSCo to develop a Jones
Act compliant wind turbine installation vessel represents an essential
development to support the U.S. offshore wind industry.”