New Jersey-based Northstar Marine announced Wednesday it is gearing up to support emerging offshore wind development projects in the Northeast U.S., having recently acquired a pair of specialized support vessels and formed a partnership with with Laredo Offshore Services, based in Belle Chasse, La.
The marine services provider announced Wednesday it has acquired a 145-foot class liftboat, the Northstar Voyager, currently undergoing a refit and USCG recertification in the Gulf of Mexico ahead of its first project in the Northeast in mid-April of this year. Northstar Marine said it also acquired a new specialized 50- by 80- by 100-foot class flexi float jackup, built in 2019. These jackups join the 105-foot liftboat Northstar Vision, which has been locally owned and operated by Northstar Marine since 2011.
"We are very excited to expand our fleet with the addition of the Voyager and the Flexi Float spread at a time when our clients are seeking solutions to service the offshore wind sector," said Northstar’s president and CEO, Phil Risko.
Northstar said its alliance with Laredo Offshore Services will provides a diverse and capable fleet of liftboats to support the development of offshore wind farms in the U.S. Northeast. As part of the partnership, Laredo Offshore Services recently mobilized its 230-foot class liftboat Brazos to New Jersey.
"Our alliance with Laredo brings the largest liftboat homeported on the East Coast. Laredo brings over 40 years of liftboat experience from the oil and gas industry in the Gulf of Mexico, and we value their knowledge and experience," Risko said.
Laredo Offshore president, Nadja Knoulton, expressed her enthusiasm for the opportunities provided by Northstar and offshore wind: “Laredo recently completed a geotechnical project for an offshore wind developer along with a number of other projects with Northstar in the Northeast. The alliance with Northstar provides a unique combination of local content and support along with Laredo’s many years of relevant experience. We are excited to be a part of the development of green energy and the new economic opportunities it is providing.”