Morgan Stanley Investment Management, through Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners, and U.S. maritime, energy and logistics solutions company Crowley formed a new joint venture to advance offshore wind energy solutions in the U.S.
The joint venture will combine Crowley’s end-to-end maritime and logistics capabilities through the newly created Crowley Wind Services Holdings and the financial strength and expertise of Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners.
Investment funds managed by Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners, a private infrastructure fund platform within Morgan Stanley Investment Management, will hold a majority stake in Crowley Wind Services Holdings, while Crowley will operate the business.
Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners and Crowley’s partnership will focus on repurposing and operating existing U.S. port facilities and leasing them under long-term contracts to offshore wind developers. The terminals will support manufacturing, assembly and storage of wind farm components. They also will provide developers with maritime services such as Jones Act-compliant feedering vessels to transport components from ports to offshore wind installations.
“In our view, the U.S. offshore wind industry is in its early stages with ambitious goals to develop 30 gigawatts of capacity from offshore wind by 2030 and unlock a pathway to 110 gigawatts by 2050,” Daniel Sailors, managing director of Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners, said. “We believe port infrastructure is essential to the build-out and long-term maintenance of offshore wind projects, and we are excited to partner with Crowley to provide the foundational infrastructure that will enable the development of this important industry.”
Crowley provides wind energy solutions for the U.S. offshore wind industry, including port operations and terminaling, feedering vessels and operations, and project management. Through a public-private partnership with Massachusetts’ Clean Energy Center and Salem, MA, Crowley plans to begin construction this fall on the Salem Wind Services Terminal, which will support the development and operation of offshore wind lease areas off the Northeast coast. In addition, the company is pursuing the development of a U.S. West Coast terminal in Eureka, CA, in a public-private partnership. Crowley also has a right-of-first refusal agreement to lease and potentially develop a wind services terminal at Port Fourchon, LA.
“The partnership of our two companies will help lead the growth of the wind energy sector and provide clean, renewable energy for the U.S. through high-quality maritime and logistics operations and services. Our collaboration will help create not just more value as a business but cleaner, more sustainable energy for our communities,” Bob Karl, senior vice president and general manager of Crowley Wind Services, said.
Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank served as financial advisor to Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners, and Kirkland & Ellis served as its legal counsel. DNB Markets served as financial advisor to Crowley, and Vinson & Elkins served as the company’s legal counsel.
