Offshore Wind Energy: Planned Projects May Lead to Construction of New Vessels in the U.S., but Industry Has Made Few Decisions amid Uncertainties

Offshore wind, a significant potential source of energy in the United States, requires a number of oceangoing vessels for installation and other tasks. Depending on the use, these vessels may need to comply with the Jones Act. Because Jones Act-compliant vessels are generally more expensive to build and operate than foreign-flag vessels, using such vessels may increase the costs of offshore wind projects. Building such vessels may also lead to some economic benefits for the maritime industry. A provision was included in statute for the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review offshore wind vessels. This report examines (1) approaches to use of vessels that developers are considering for offshore wind, consistent with Jones Act requirements, and the extent to which such vessels exist, and (2) the challenges industry stakeholders have identified associated with constructing and using such vessels to support U.S. offshore wind, and the actions federal agencies have taken to address these challenges. GAO analyzed information on vessels that could support offshore wind, reviewed relevant laws and studies, and interviewed officials from federal agencies and industry stakeholders selected based on their involvement in ongoing projects and recommendations from others.

• Record URL:
  • https://www.gao.gov/assets/720/711076.pdf
• Summary URL:
  • https://www.gao.gov/assets/720/711075.pdf
• Corporate Authors:

  U.S. Government Accountability Office

  441 G Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20548
• Publication Date: 2020-12-8

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 41p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Compliance; Costs; Forecasting; Offshore structures; Shipbuilding; Ships; Stakeholders; Wind power generation
• Identifier Terms: Merchant Marine Act, 1920
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Subject Areas: Energy; Marine Transportation; Planning and Forecasting; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01761536
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: GAO-21-153
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 29 2020 10:42AM