International Operating Engineer - Fall 2015

Feature
“Local 57 has been involved since
2007 in the permitting process, the
legislative process, as well as, securing
a Project Labor Agreement for the
Block Island Wind Farm,” Business
Manager Jim White told the Operating
Engineer.
Securing a PLA with Deepwater
Wind means that more than 60 highly
skilled Operating Engineers are on the
job.
The cranes on the water are owned by
Weeks Marine of Cranford, New Jersey.
The Weeks Marine 533 machine is the
primary heavy lift crane. It is rated as
a 500-ton capacity, barge mounted lift
crane. It is one of three Weeks Marine
heavy lift cranes being operated on the
project. In addition, each barge also
carries an 888 Manitowoc which are
used to service the heavy lift cranes.
Local 57 members operate all of the
cranes at sea, as well as support cranes
on shore including a 4100 Manitowoc
and a M80 Manitowoc. Local 57
members also tend to the repairs and
welding of all the hoisting, portable
and sea going equipment.
Operating Engineers working on the
Block Island Wind Farm have had to
endure their fair share of foul weather.
“Near misses of recent hurricanes
have resulted in Local 57 members
riding out 20 foot seas on the boats and
barges. Those types of seas are not for
the faint of heart,” explains Business
Manager White.
The United States currently has about
15,650 MW of offshore wind projects in
various stages of development, with
approximately 3,305 MW due online by
2020, according to the U.S. Department
of Energy’s “2014-15 Offshore Wind
Technologies Market Report.”
The federal government has issued
nine commercial leases for wind
farms off the coasts of Massachusetts,
Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia.
Another auction is in the works for New
Jersey later this year.
At a ribbon cutting ceremony for
the Block Island Wind Farm in July,
Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell
said Deepwater Wind will serve as a
model for all of these projects.
“I think that this will give them a
competitive advantage because they’re
learning some lessons here that are
difficult,” said Jewell. “And they are
expensive and people will be learning
from Deepwater Wind. But they’re
ahead of the game, because they
have the expertise now that they’ve
assembled together to make this
happen.”
Jewell said now it is up to the
federal government to offer incentives
to spur renewable energy and make it
profitable. That means tax incentives
like the ones already given to the oil
and gas industries. In the meantime,
all eyes are on Rhode Island, where
the country’s first offshore wind farm is
well underway.
“As Business Manager, I’m very
proud to have Operating Engineers
working on this innovative, first in the
nation, offshore wind farm,” Jim White
said.
[left] 400-ton steel frame jackets await
placement on the ocean floor three miless
off of Block Island .
[photo] Local 57
[right] One of three Weeks Marine heavy
lift cranes on station at the Block Island
Winf Farm site.
[photo] Deepwater Wind
[previous page] Local 57 Operating
Engineers making a lift at sea.
[photo] Deepwater Wind
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INTERNATIONAL OPERATING ENGINEER
FALL 2015
17