Trident Winds Inc. (Trident) recently 
submitted an unsolicited request for a United States Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) renewable energy lease in accordance with the requirements of 30 CFR § 585.230 to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to operate a floating wind generation facility off the coast of Washington State. Trident proposes to permit, develop, construct, operate, and maintain a floating offshore wind farm with approximately 2,000-megawatt (MW) nameplate capacity on the OCS in United States (U.S.) federal waters, named Olympic Wind (the Project). The proposed site for the Project is off the coast of Grays Harbor and Pacific counties, Washington (Figure 1). The Project is planned to be in 1,970 feet to 4,300 feet (600 to 1,300 meters, or 325 to 710 fathoms) water depth approximately 43 miles (38 nm, or 70 km) from Grays Harbor, taking advantage of an offshore wind resource with an average speed of 17.9 to 19 knots (8 to 8.5 meters/second).
Hofmann & Schweitzer will keep you updated on this project as it goes forward if approved. The workers on those ships will be Jones Act seamen who will benefit from that statute’s protections for injured workers and the general maritime law’s requirement of a seaworthy vessel.
