Design and Planning of Pier Wind a Floating Offshore Wind Port Terminal

Abstract: The offshore wind industry on the U.S. west coast is an emerging industry that is anticipated to experience significant growth and development. In August 2022, the State of California established ambitious planning goals of 2–5 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind by 2030 and 25 GW by 2045. Simultaneously, in September 2022, the federal government announced a goal of 15 GW of floating offshore wind in the U.S. by 2035. These deployment goals drive the development of the offshore wind industry and emphasize the critical need for purpose-built port infrastructure to support offshore wind projects.

To address this need, the Port of Long Beach is actively engaged in planning, design, and permitting of Pier Wind, an innovative 400-acre offshore wind port terminal. Pier Wind is planned to be the largest purpose-built floating offshore wind port terminal in the nation. Key features of this project include managing 50 million cubic yards of dredged material to create 430 acres in the Outer Harbor, a 7,500 feet long wharf that can support 6,000 pounds per square foot (psf) live loads, floating docks to support tugs and turbine commissioning, and dedicated anchorage areas to store turbines waiting for installation offshore.

To meet the needs of the offshore wind industry, construction must commence in 2027, emphasizing that design and permitting must be completed by the end of 2026 – a critical driver for the project. This paper will delve into challenges and essential early design choices and technical studies aimed at streamlining the development of environmental documents. Additionally, the programmatic approach to project delivery and funding for the $5-6 billion-dollar project will be discussed.

In summary, Pier Wind represents a bold step toward a sustainable energy future, combining innovation, engineering excellence, and environmental stewardship. As the offshore wind industry gains momentum on the U.S. West Coast, projects like this pave the way for future port development projects.

How does this project / topic contribute to the advancement of the industry and profession?: The Pier Wind project is planned to be the largest floating offshore wind port terminal in the U.S. and scheduled to be one of the first offshore wind port terminals on the U.S. west coast. This facility will enable the State of California to achieve the offshore wind deployment goal of 25 GW of offshore wind by 2045 which will unlock significant economic benefits and job opportunities in California. As this project is a pioneer on the U.S. west coast and worldwide, it will serve as an industry model for planning floating offshore wind offshore wind ports.

Does the project / topic implement new and innovative techniques, materials, technologies, and delivery methods?: The Pier Wind project, vital for achieving the State’s offshore wind goals, demands innovative design, permitting, construction, and delivery. The floating offshore wind port faces 6,000 pounds per square foot (psf) live loads, requiring unique wharf and pile design, compared to the typical 1,000 psf for container wharves. Exploring unconventional pile types, materials, and sizes within the San Pedro Bay port complex necessitates an extensive pile testing program. Additionally, comprehensive data collection, including ADCP units for an unprecedented wave study, is underway. Non-traditional project delivery methods are also being evaluated due to tight schedules and funding constraints.

What was the most challenging aspect of your project / topic and how did you handle it to ensure success?: The most challenging aspect of the project is making key early technical and design decisions to support an efficient development of the Environmental Document – the critical path for project schedule. A strong team of experts was assembled to ensure the necessary early design decisions align optimally with the requirements of the future offshore wind port operations.

Who is the target audience for this paper?: Port infrastructure owners, offshore wind industry, terminal operators, planners, port engineers, environmental specialists, labor, and policy decision-makers