During a keynote speech at the Chamber of Commerce of Southern New Jersey’s Jan. 11 luncheon in Mount Laurel, Gov. Phil Murphy announced the signing of a Letter of Intent (LOI) between the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) and Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind LLC for the company to lease 35 acres at the New Jersey Wind Port.

Atlantic Shores will initially use the Wind Port, which is being constructed in Lower Alloways Creek, Salem County, for marshaling of its Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Project 1 — a 1.5-gigawatt effort located off the coast of Atlantic City that is expected to generate enough energy to power more than 700,000 homes.

The company anticipates the project will create an estimated 200 jobs.

The Wind Port has been touted by officials as a game-changer, allowing the opportunity for the Garden State to serve as a hub for the entire offshore wind industry.

“Atlantic Shores’ commitment in Salem County affirms the critical importance of the Wind Port to the nation’s offshore wind industry and toward a more robust, sustainable New Jersey economy,” said Murphy. “New Jersey’s leadership in offshore wind is on the rise, bringing with it significant catalytic investment, family-sustaining career opportunities, and the promise of a healthier environment for future generations.”

Atlantic Shores is the second tenant at the port. In April 2022, the NJEDA signed a LOI with Ørsted, which is developing the Ocean Wind 1 project along with PSEG.

“As the second of two major companies to choose the New Jersey Wind Port for assembling and launching East Coast offshore wind projects, Atlantic Shores clearly recognizes the Port’s strategic and tactical advantages,” said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan.

In a press release, Sullivan noted one of the key advantages of the Wind Port for offshore wind developers is the opportunity to be co-located with Tier 1 component manufacturers, which allows for installation cost-efficiencies that will ultimately benefit the New Jersey taxpayers.

Atlantic Shores was among 16 offers to lease the land, which the NJEDA says demonstrates the huge demand for fit-for-purpose port capacity along the East Coast.

The lease is expected to start in mid-2026 and cover up to three years with options to extend.

“Atlantic Shores is thrilled to partner with the NJEDA and utilize the New Jersey Wind Port to marshal the materials and resources required to deliver New Jersey’s largest offshore wind project,” said Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind CEO Joris Veldhoven. “The location offers outstanding waterside access without barriers to transporting assembled turbines vertically and allows us to tap into New Jersey’s highly skilled talent pool and robust workforce development programs. In conjunction with our on-site nacelle assembly facility, Atlantic Shores is proud to contribute to New Jersey’s infrastructure and clean energy economy.”

The announcement comes one day after Murphy’s State of the State Address, during which he highlighted efforts to build out the entire offshore wind industry ecosystem – shouting out the Wind Port and the Port of Paulsboro Marine Terminal.

“We are primed to be a leader on the East Coast in offshore wind and a national leader in component manufacturing and logistics for the wind industry as a whole,” said Murphy during the address. “In doing so, we are creating thousands of good, overwhelmingly union jobs up and down the entire state, especially in places like Gloucester and Salem Counties, where the Paulsboro manufacturing facility and the New Jersey Wind Port are taking shape.”