There Will be Plenty of jobs to go around offshore with wind in US waters! Of course the construction of the OWF’s is sexy, but the real man hours and where the money for the common man, the working man, will come. Is with the following 25 years of operations and maintenance of the OWF’s. And this is where US seafarers and companies will make a difference (until US JA installation vessels are built). Yes one could argue that all involved vessels should have national crews, but honestly, this is not O&G in the 50’s and 60’s (a time where Americans were happy to hold expat jobs ww).
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Big money is being appropriated for wind farms. You don’t think USA corporations had a plan to get a piece of that money? They are in it shit deep. Dominion Power is way deep, Their staging area in Portsmouth Va speaks for itself. Many USA jobs, Jones Act jobs to follow once we know how/ what to do. The unions know this, and are already garnering for position in this new industry. Good for them and the seafarers they hope to represent.
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Well considering that you are so ignorant that you call it a windmill (and not windturbine generator) clearly shows your basic lack of knowledge about the industry. Maybe just sit down and let the real (Europeans) experts handle this? 
As far as i have read, the foreign vessels and companies that you are so afraid of, are hired by US entities. I’m sure these US entities would have hired US vessels to do the jobs, had America’s protectionism not killed the US merchant fleet. And Let’s be honest here, what other nation has +100 year old ships navigating their waters.
Look up the definition of windmill before you dive into the trolling grammar nazi mode.
For a first post you haven’t shown much to offer the site, please make it your last.
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come on people…we need to discuss our own government here, they are the one’s who proclaim they want that offshore wind to be a source of jobs for US workers but suddenly that all becomes just a bunch of wind
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I don’t see any europeans working the staging areas in Portsmouth. Nor truck drivers, crane operators, railroad employees and tug operators. All USA. Dominion Power has contracted to build a vessel to service the wind farms.
and yet the article clearly says foreign flagged installation vessels are going to be used and in previously installed wind farms offshore Rhode Island, these foreign vessels were manned with foreign crews. This cannot become the norm in offshore wind as it is in offshore oil. I am already in contact with my Congressman’s office requesting a meeting with Rick Larsen who is on the House Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee to impress on him that for once the Congress must ensure that the intent that all labor offshore as provided in the Jones and Outer Continental Shelf Lands Acts are reserved for US citizens and that foreign nationals only get access in very rare and limited circumstances.
I have tried to fight this in the GoM but the horse was already out of the barn, however this time action needs to happen before the same occurs in offshore wind. These jobs by law are supposed to be American jobs…PERIOD!
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I agree with you sir on many points.We just don’t have the vessels needed for that work yet.
fine, better start hiring US citizen mariners to man these and reflag them to the Stars and Stripes until domestically build vessels are delivered. No more foreigners invading US industry ANYMORE!
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In 2004-5 I was involved in the installation of 3 WTG on land in the Caribbean in between hitches on board ship. Sadly due to lack of maintenance by the local government they went into disrepair.
As to the real experts being European that is funny. WTGs have been installed all over the world including the USA and China which is currently the world leader in installed capacity.
My point was the USA has lagged in the development of the offshore vessels needed to construct them. My uneducated guess is the offshore industry which previously lived off the oil business doesn’t have the financial means or will to develop the type of vessels needed at this time. A partnership with a company from any country with the expertise seems prudent . Hopefully these companies with the expertise would not employ impudent people such as you seem to be.
Ohhh I know the definition of a windmill and to mill something. Being an ignorant protectionistic asshole doesn’t change the fact that the US and Americans are hopelessly behind when it comes to offshore wind. You are immature and 10-15 years behind Europe. You dont have the skills or knowledge that is required. Instead of making up Stories and blaming others, you should acknowledge your incompetence and try to learn from Europe. Maybe then one day you will be able to construct OWFs without European skills and knowledge. Although with the current attitude from the likes of you it will likely never happen…
You do understand that you cannot compare a few ancient onshore WTGs with the modern Offshore WTGs?! There is basically no comparison what so ever, except for the basic functions they are supposed to perform. As to the vessels I do however agree with you. Luckily for the US listed companies you have Chapter 11
Otherwise hardly any of them would exist today.
Bye troll
Bye bye snowflake. Guess the truth and facts are hard to comprehend and accept for people like you…
The US government should simply go to the stock market and buy one or more of the leading foreign offshore wind installation companies, state-of-the-art vessels and all. Then they can start training up Americans on the foreign projects that are already under construction.
When it’s time to start building USwind, reflag the vessels US.
US offshore wind is a creature of subsidy, mostly in the form of higher electric rates which everyone must pay. If offshore wind cannot be build by Americans now, we should wait until it can be.
Americans put men on the Moon 50 years ago. Americas land autonomous vehicles on Mars. An American company GE (through foreign acquisitions) is the World’s largest wind turbine builder. So surely, Americans can acquire, or invent whatever is required to build offshore wind.
How do you know that anybody is willing to sell??
How do you know that any country wants to allow Americans to come in and work in their waters??
American Astronauts lifted off on a Russian rocket yesterday and UAE landed an autonomous vehicle on Mars recently (As did the Europeans and Chinese)
What has that got to do with Offshore Wind Farms??
Invented, designed and made in France by French people.
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The project crew sleep in the many cabins.
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Most governments would accept American trainees aboard, why wouldn’t they?
Citizens of may countries are working in the US on work visas. If Americans cannot get work visas to work in other countries, then their citizens would no longer be able to get US work visas.
If Americans are not allowed to work on foreign wind installation projects, that certainly foreigners cannot be allowed to work on American wind installation projects.
The US has a lot of the World on US foreign aid programs. The US provides the defense for most countries, including most of Europe. If Americans cannot get offshore wind training in Country X, defense commitments, weapons, spared, etc, can be reduced to Country X.
Most publicly traded companies are for sale. Their stock can be purchased on the open stock market.
Most investors (stockholders) in companies are happy to sell their stock at a profit, and to vote for the sale of the company.
An offshore wind installation company can be bought, just as GE bought foreign wind turbine manufacturing companies.
The idea that anyone can or should freeze Americans out of doing the offshore wind installation in the US is very offensive.
While the US offshore wind developers want to use foreign wind installers, the US can say No.
I have no doubt that American ingenuity can figure out how to install wind turbines in the US pretty damn quickly without any foreign help.
There is no need to rush offshore wind installation. The US is already energy independent with less expensive sources of energy. We can wait until US offshore wind installation vessels are bought or built. No rush at all.
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