““Hampton Roads’ unmatched port infrastructure and high-quality maritime workforce make the region an ideal location for offshore wind energy development. Virginia is the prime location for the offshore wind industry, from the supply chain to the full build-out of our offshore wind assets off the coast.”
— Virginia’s Governor, Ralph Northam”
Pro-Business Climate
CNBC ranks Virginia as the #1 state in the nation and the first on the East Coast for business. Virginia leads the way in education and workforce development to support its thriving economy.
Strategic Geographic Location
With commercial offshore wind leases located off the coasts of NJ, DE, MD, VA, and NC at a travel time of less than 20 hours by installation vessels traveling at 10 knots, Virginia’s port assets are strategically located in the Mid-Atlantic with direct open access.
Unmatched Port Infrastructure
As the second largest on the East Coast in tonnage and the third largest in container volume, Virginia’s ports have the ability to handle any type of cargo. Virginia is one of the few states offering “plug in and play” port facilities to the supply chain.
Congestion-Free Navigation
Hampton Roads enjoys open shipping channels and navigational flexibility eliminating maritime congestion as a concern. The Port of Virginia is the deepest port on the East Coast. The main channels are 55 feet deep, wide enough to allow for two-way traffic of ultra-large containerships and always ice free.
Progressive Energy Policy Stance
In a bipartisan fashion, Virginia’s legislature passed the Grid Transformation and Security Act in 2018, which deems 5,000 MW of solar and wind energy generation to be in the public interest.
Unrestricted Air Draft Waterways
Virginia numerous terminal facilities have direct access to sea with no overhead obstacles to impede the shipping of large and upright infrastructure and components, an advantage that differentiates it from every other East Coast state.
High-Quality Maritime Workforce
Hampton Roads boasts a civilian and military maritime labor force unmatched by any other East Coast state. Its proximity to the largest naval base in the world presents the opportunity to hire transitioning military personnel for high-skilled offshore wind jobs.
Abundant Waterfront Land and Infrastructure
Virginia’s terminals offer existing dock capacity and ample on-water marshaling areas. The Virginia coastline is geographically rich with waterfront properties and development or redevelopment opportunities.
America’s Largest Shipbuilding Industry
Hampton Roads is home to the largest shipbuilding and ship repair market in the United States. Unmatched infrastructure and workforce resources for design, construction and maintenance of vessels and other marine infrastructure are well developed, diverse and flexible — including capacity for the construction of new specialized vessel and modification of existing vessels.