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Sea Services North America
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Congressional Panel Hears How Commercial Fishing, Offshore Wind Industries Can Benefit One Another

“Offshore wind has tremendous potential to lower energy costs, reduce dependence on foreign oil and create good-paying clean energy jobs,” said Rep. Magaziner.

“As we know from our experience in Rhode Island, with thoughtful planning and community input, we can unleash the power of offshore wind while minimizing the impact on marine life and incumbent industries, particularly the fishing industry.”

Sunrise Wind Marks Early Milestone: More Than Half of Advanced Foundation Components Now Complete

More than half of specialized foundation components for the 924 MW Sunrise Wind project have already been built, as the construction for New York’s largest offshore wind farm continues at Port of Coeymans Assembly Hub.

The developer of the project, Ørsted, informed about the construction progress for the Sunrise Wind as the project gears up for offshore construction in 2025.

Sea Services Featured by Leading Offshore Wind Organization, Oceantic

Near the docks of New London, Connecticut, a fishermen’s co-op is making history.

Established by fishermen for fishermen, Sea Services North America serves as the bridge between offshore wind developers and commercial fishermen. Their mission is to improve safety on the open water and create opportunities for local watermen to earn extra income by providing guard, scouting, and environmental compliance services to the growing clean energy industry.

A ‘Fishing Family’ Finds Benefits in Offshore Wind Scout Work

In the spirit of famous family productions – like the Flying Wallendas – meet the Fishing Linnells, six generations of bloodlines still running like a current through the fishing industry.

Common sense might suggest the Linnells, a Chatham, Mass.-based family, might be the hardest markers of all when considering the relationship between the fishing industry and offshore wind.

And yet veteran fisherman Matt Linnell and his family not only accepted the scouting work offered by Sea Services North America, a unique collaboration between fishermen and offshore wind developers, but have thrived in it.

Sea Services North America helps Commercial Fishermen to be part of the Solution

After 50 years of fishing out of Long Island Sound, commercial fisherman Gary Yerman has embraced working with offshore wind companies to finish out his career.

Working for the wind industry is controversial among fishermen, with some using it to supplement their fishing income, some avoiding it and others switching fully to working with wind.

Sea Services Co-Op Bids on Dominion’s Coastal Virginia Project, hoping to expand opportunities to Virginia-based commercial fishermen

Sea Services North America’s mission as a cooperative between commercial fishermen and offshore wind developers believes in the power of collaboration.

As Dominion nears construction for its 2.5 gigawatt coastal Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project, or CVOW, Sea Services has partnered with Virginia’s own B&C and its subsidiary, Ocean Watt Safety to provide services to the CVOW developers. The companies have spent months completing all preparations of the fleet and crew for offshore wind construction work, certifying Virgina fishermen, enhancing safety measures and training them for offshore wind project work.

Meet Mike Plis, Sea Services Training Manager: ‘Making one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, a little safer – one boat, one crew member at a time.’

Among Mike Plis’ many goals for his training program at Sea Services North America is to provide a safety transition for commercial fishermen into what Plis calls “making one of the world’s most dangerous jobs a little less dangerous – one boat and one crew member at a time.”

Plis, who is SSNA’s Training Manager, has adopted a comprehensive training program to sustain SSNA’s growing cooperative, which links the offshore wind industry to commercial fishing.

Sea Services’ Videll accepts invitation to join CT Wind Collaborative Board of Directors

Gordon Videll, Chief Executive Officer of Sea Services North America, has accepted an invitation to join the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Wind Collaborative.

The Wind Collaborative was first announced last October as part of Connecticut’s Offshore Wind Strategic Roadmap, which calls for the new nonprofit to work collaboratively with stakeholders in business, industry, academia, state agencies, and counterparts in neighboring states to advance the regional supply chain and workforce necessary to meet the growing demand for this new American industry.

Sea Services Fishermen Celebrate Completion of South Fork Wind, Now deploying on Revolution Wind

The significance of the South Fork Wind project dates back to 1882 when Thomas Edison illuminated Manhattan for the first time, giving New York an “energy first” distinction across America, igniting the modern electric utility industry.

South Fork Wind has become another first for New York, the country’s first commercial-scale offshore wind farm, a story going beyond turbines, megawatts, and homes powered – also uniting union workers, engineers and conservationists – and with the help of Sea Services North America, the commercial fishing industry, too.

Sea Services Co-Op Expands into managing gear claims process for offshore wind companies

Sea Services North America has a unique mission: to bring increased safety to active fishing vessels and crews, while also providing fishermen opportunities to use their on-water skills to earn additional income in offshore wind construction.

After more than three years of successful operation, Sea Services has developed three new service areas, adding value to both its expanding roster of independent fishermen and its offshore wind customers.

Partnership with B & C Seafood continues our expansion in mid-Atlantic region

Sea Services North America, the nation’s leading provider of independent fishing vessels to work on the development and construction of offshore wind farms, has announced its new vessel partnership with B & C Seafood.

The partnership allows B&C to take advantage of SSNA’s best-in-class performance record, platform, training and administration, while also allowing SSNA to continue to expand its offerings into the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Sea Services Co-op model is designed to scale geographically.

Refreshing testimony: Addressing a CT legislative panel from the deck of a Sea Services vessel

Amid the monotony of more than 12 hours of legislative testimony, two fishermen employed by Sea Services North America made history during the Energy & Technology Committee hearing at the Connecticut Legislative Office Building earlier this year.

Jack Tibbens and Scott Yerman testified to the committee from the high seas via Zoom – sun shining, wind whipping – from the “New Horizons.”

Their impact in speaking on behalf of Bill 383, proposed by State Sen. Heather Somers (R-Groton) to establish a $16 million mitigation fund responding to the effects of offshore wind on marine mammals, birds, and fishermen, was immeasurable.

Yerman’s best catch: a cooperative effort between fishermen, offshore wind developers

His professional life began with Pepto Bismol and has ping-ponged its way between pneumatic sound, lobster traps and eminent domain.

Clearly, fellow fishermen are aware that when Gary Yerman, the Fleet Manager for Sea Services North America, offers counsel on the industry that has sustained him, the words come from a man with the wisdom carried by eclectic experiences.

Sea Services North America celebrates 3 years of commercial collaboration between fishermen, Offshore Wind Developers

After quietly creating a unique partnership between the commercial fishing community and offshore wind energy developers, Sea Services North America (SSNA) is ready to celebrate its success.

With more than 80 fishermen from five states working through a cooperative business arrangement, SSNA is the nation’s leading provider of active fishing vessels for scout and guard (safety) work to offshore wind developers and suppliers.

A fishing icon joins the Sea Services team blending 40 years of fishing and safety training, with offshore wind opportunities

It has been suggested that synergy between the fishing industry and offshore wind is presumptive at best and inconceivable at worst.

But then there are the words of Rodney Avila, a legendary fisherman of more than 60 years, who views Sea Services North America’s cooperative structure as the perfect vehicle to marry the two.

Customer Profile: Meet Ed Leblanc, Ørsted’s Head of Marine Affairs

The concept of “safety first” requires layers of details that perhaps render it easier said than applied. Ed LeBlanc, Ørsted’s Head of Marine Affairs U.S. Offshore Wind, has stood for safety on the water with passion and diligence for nearly 50 years.

LeBlanc came to Ørsted in 2019 following a four-decade career in the United States Coast Guard, most recently serving as the Chief of Waterways Management at Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England since 2003.

Sea Services’ CEO joins CT Wind Collaborative Board of Directors

Gordon Videll, Chief Executive Officer of Sea Services North America, has accepted an invitation to join the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Wind Collaborative.

The Wind Collaborative was first announced last October as part of Connecticut’s Offshore Wind Strategic Roadmap, which calls for the new nonprofit to work collaboratively with stakeholders in business, industry, academia, state agencies, and counterparts in neighboring states to advance the regional supply chain and workforce necessary to meet the growing demand for this new American industry.

Offshore Wind Moves Boldly Ahead For 2024, Forbes Magazine

In May, ships started arriving in New Bedford, Massachusetts carrying offshore wind turbines taller than a football field is long. These turbines are now being installed 15 miles off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard at the United States’ first utility-scale offshore wind farm. 62 turbines, capable of powering over 400,000 homes, will provide pollution-free electricity to New England. Here, offshore wind is the key to reducing greenhouse gas emissions fast enough to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

But New England isn’t alone.

New research from UC-Berkeley, GridLab, and Energy Innovation shows offshore wind could provide clean, affordable power off every coast in this country as a fundamental part of decarbonizing our economy.