Port of Argentia positions itself as a player in the world energy transition as shipping yard opens

The Port of Argentia in southeastern Newfoundland, which opened its new shipping yard for wind energy parts Thursday, is positioning itself as a key point in the supply chain as the world turns toward the energy transition.

The port has sectioned off a portion of its property to be a storage area for monopiles — also known as large wind turbine foundations — which are expected to arrive in the coming weeks. Those monopiles will be eventually installed at offshore wind farms off the east coast of the United States. 

"This started in March of 2021 and a lot of people thought that we were a little bit crazy that the Port of Argentina and Placentia could pull off something like this," Port of Argentia CEO Scott Penney told a crowd during Thursday's grand opening of its monopile transit route.

"But I think we've put our flag on the map. And we are going to continue to be a powerhouse in the world energy transition."

This deal is in partnership with two Dutch companies. Boskalis is transporting the monopiles to the Port of Argentia and Mammoet will be the cargo's stewards while the monopiles stay at the port.

Boskalis monopole project manager Arend Van Der Marel explained why the company chose the Port of Argentia as its partner.

"I think we spent like six months taking inventory of all the locations in Canada where we could come to, and we looked at Nova Scotia. We looked at Newfoundland. We went exotic, further up north," said Van Der Marel.

"At the end of the day, it came down to a couple of important aspects. Accessibility, the support we were getting from the community. The support from the port itself."

Port looks to future

Port of Argentia chairperson Genny Picco explained that when the monopiles arrive, they will be moved and secured in a marshalling yard area.

Next year they will be retrieved and delivered to their final destination, where they will be installed at an offshore wind farm site 22 kilometres off Rhode Island, U.S, she said.

"To facilitate this project, the port has undergone significant improvement in dock upgrades, road widening and utility relocation," said Picco.

"These key investments will serve the port and our valued tenants and operators well into the future."

Placentia Deputy Mayor Wayne Power touted the continued importance of the port to the province. Becoming the first monopile marshalling yard in North America, he said, "only proves that we're still an important player in the world economy."

"You know that the eyes of the world are on this port," said Power.

"The improvements which are highlighted here today that have happened under this project with Boskalis are only going to position the port for continued development."

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