Port of Portland Staging Port Development Plan for Offshore Wind Farm, Australia

Client: Alinta Energy

Background:

•The client is one of several proponents planning for the development of offshore wind farms off Western Victoria. A major challenge for these projects is the lack of suitable construction ports providing space needed for the import, staging, assembly and load-out of wind turbine components and foundations. 

• We were commissioned to identify opportunities in and around the Port of Portland for existing or new facilities to support the emerging offshore wind industry. 

What it delivered:

•Identification of opportunities and constraints around the port (e.g. the impact of height restrictions on component site selection, area load requirements, potential long-term use as a staging port of future offshore wind farms) 

•Delivery-installation flows, land area requirements (assembly times, loading & berthing times, quay lengths), site occupancy phases 

•Scope of new facilities or upgrades that may be required, indicative costs, timeline and option plans (berth improvements, required capital expenditure, operational efficiencies) 

•Assessment of impacts on other port activities and surrounding infrastructure, and the economic benefit provided to the offshore wind industry (berth occupancy, storage density etc.)