Port of Corpus Christi’s new laydown yard, Rincon West, received its first shipment of wind energy components on July 14th. Top wind manufacturer, Vestas, is scheduled to import nacelles, hubs, drive trains and blades for the Blue Cloud Wind Farm, located in Texas Panhandle counties Baily/Lamb. Rincon West will serve as the first point of rest for the imported breakbulk cargo prior to components being shipped via truck to the job site. Developed by Tri-Global Energy, the 148 MW Blue Cloud wind farm is comprised of 19,000 leased acres of privately owned farm land.
“The future of wind energy is important to Corpus Christi, Texas and the United States; and our Rincon West Yard is an incredibly viable logistics option for the wind energy industry,” said Port of Corpus Christi CEO Sean Strawbridge. “The Port is proud to play a support role for Texas in leading the nation in wind energy development, and we are pleased to partner with Vestas in facilitating the transportation of wind energy infrastructure to the Blue Cloud construction site.”
Recently available at the Port of Corpus Christi, Rincon West is a 25-acre laydown yard in close proximity to Cargo Dock 9, located on the north side of the ship channel. Developed for Heavy Haul and Breakbulk Cargo with a 20” stabilized limestone base, Rincon West includes potential for on-site rail. Adjacent highway systems and barge docks represent added logistical benefits for the new yard.
As America’s energy port, the Port of Corpus Christi is the nation’s number one port for handling wind energy components in the Gulf of Mexico. By the end of 2017, the Port reached a new wind turbine cargo milestone by handling more than 3,000 wind turbine components, including blades and tower sections. That number is up from 2,603 and 2,875 in 2015 and 2016, respectively.
