Crowley invests in Tugdock to partner on floating dry docks for wind

US maritime company Crowley has invested in Tugdock, a Cornwall, UK-based firm which has developed a floating dry dock, to support offshore wind development in the US.

The companies will explore using Tugdock’s technology in locations like the US West Coast, where conventional dry docks may not be suitable, according to an announcement on Wednesday.

Tugdock’s technology, the Tugdock Submersible Platform (TSP), is described as the world’s first road-transportable floating dry dock and is said to offer a cost-effective solution for developers and ports in the floating offshore wind industry. It is designed for use in ports that lack the water depth and assembly space needed to build and loadout the large floating wind foundations.

“The cost and time constraints associated with port infrastructure developments and submersible barge suitability are major bottlenecks holding back growth of the floating offshore wind sector,” explained Lucas Lowe-Houghton, Director of Strategy and Growth at Tugdock. “Our TSP technology helps overcome these issues, providing a ready-to-go solution that does not require planning or environmental permissions,” added Lowe-Houghton.

Crowley Wind Services is planning for wind terminals in California, Louisiana and Massachusetts. It is advancing an agreement at the California Port of Humboldt Bay to establish a terminal for manufacturing, installation and operation of offshore wind floating platforms. The terminal will also support the use of large cargo vessels and provide crewing and marshalling services for the newly approved Pacific waters for wind energy leases.

Humboldt and other West Coast developments will make use of floating wind turbines, the company noted.

The US government has set a goal of 15 GW of floating offshore wind energy capacity by 2035.

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