Announcements

New York State Governor Hochul announced on June 4, 2024 that new contracts for Empire Wind I and Sunrise Wind were finalized as the result of New York’s fourth offshore wind solicitation. Among the contract commitments, the developers will be advancing maritime engagement and workforce programming. Executed contracts and further details are available for review on NYSERDA’s website.

On April 22, 2024, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced actions to accelerate the clean energy transition through the adoption of the Renewable Action through Project Interconnection and Deployment (RAPID) Act. The regulatory process will be centralized within the Department of Public Service Office of Renewable Energy Siting.  The RAPID Act will streamline transmission infrastructure buildout while also promoting the State’s clean energy goals by creating a clear regulatory environmental review and permitting process for projects to follow.

This website is intended to provide general information about the goals and status of the New York State Maritime Technical Working Group (M-TWG). Additionally, it offers access to resources related to the nexus of offshore wind, and maritime transportation and navigation sectors.

Note: This website is still under development and new functionality will be added in the coming months.

What is the Maritime Technical Working Group (M-TWG)?

The Maritime Technical Working Group (M-TWG) is an independent and non-decisional advisory entity made up of representatives from the maritime transportation sector, navigation community, and offshore wind developers who provide guidance and advice on how to responsibly implement New York State’s efforts to advance offshore wind energy development. State and federal agencies also are engaged in this group to provide technical experience and assist with coordination. The regional focus of this group is the New York/New Jersey Harbor and its approaches, including the New York Bight and Long Island Sound.  For more information on the New York State Offshore Wind TWGs, visit NYSERDA’s website.

M-TWG Mission

The mission of the M-TWG is to provide guidance to New York State in pursuit of offshore wind energy development by incorporating feedback from the maritime industry as it relates to commercial shipping impacts, navigational safety, and port and supply chain changes associated with offshore wind. New York State has established a mandate of 9,000 MW of installed offshore wind energy capacity by 2035. The information generated through the M-TWG will inform New York and its partners to potentially reduce or avoid navigational impacts that could result from offshore wind energy development.

M-TWG Goals

M-TWG members have articulated these four (4) goals to guide the working group’s initiatives:

    • Build and strengthen relationships among those who care about and work on commercial navigation matters
    • Provide a forum for collaborative, respectful deliberation and information exchange on important maritime topics
    • Ensure that participants are aware of and are able to engage with related offshore wind development efforts in the region occurring in other forums
    • Support the state’s efforts to meet its offshore wind goals

Who are the M-TWG Members?

The M-TWG is led by the New York State Department of State (NYSDOS) with support from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). The working group is made up of representatives from the maritime and navigation communities, offshore wind developers, and state and federal agencies with interests in maritime transportation, navigational safety, and offshore wind. Additional representatives, as determined by NYSDOS to be critical to the conversation, may be invited to participate or join the M-TWG as well.

To view the current M-TWG roster click here.

M-TWG Framework

The MTWG Framework describes member expectations, goals, and objectives proposed as part of New York State’s efforts to advance the responsible and cost-effective development of offshore wind energy to achieve the State’s mandated target of 9,000 MW of installed capacity by 2035.