Xiangshan Port. [Photo/Yongpai app]

A new port facility for offshore wind projects in Ningbo has been approved, paving the way for the city to handle the assembly and shipment of giant wind turbines for installation farther offshore.

The initial phase of the Zhejiang (East China) Offshore Wind Power Base at Xiangshan Port will include a 50,000-metric-ton roll-on/roll-off berth and a 50,000-ton multipurpose berth, with a combined quay length of 470 meters. The project also includes about 6.5 kilometers of access channels and an estimated investment of 1.5 billion yuan ($223 million).

Once operational, the facility will enable the assembly and loading of offshore wind turbines and their components at the port before transporting them to offshore construction sites.

The need for such facilities is growing as turbines grow larger. Their blades can stretch more than 100 meters, while nacelles can weigh more than 1,000 tons, making conventional cargo terminals unsuitable for handling, assembling, and shipping the equipment.

Zhejiang is developing offshore wind bases in Ningbo and Wenzhou, with Ningbo focusing on turbine foundation assembly and key component manufacturing.

The new facility is expected to strengthen Ningbo's role in the offshore wind industry by providing dedicated capacity to handle oversized equipment and streamline transport from the factory to the installation site.

Ningbo authorities have expedited preliminary reviews and are moving ahead with the remaining approval procedures to begin construction.