Illawarra offshore wind zone: the industrial port's renewable energy future

Port Kembla's positioning as the fabrication and logistics hub for the Illawarra and Bight offshore wind zones — declared by the federal government in the waters off the NSW south coast — represents the most significant economic development opportunity the port has had since the steel industry was at its peak. The port's existing heavy lift infrastructure, deep water berths, substantial laydown area, and the industrial skills base of the surrounding Wollongong community provide a competitive starting position for winning the offshore wind supply chain business that the declared zones will generate as development applications progress to construction.

NSW Ports has committed to investing in the offshore wind-specific infrastructure at Port Kembla that the supply chain requires — extended heavy lift crane capacity, vessel berths designed for the large installation vessels used in offshore wind construction, and expanded laydown areas for the storage and pre-assembly of tower components and foundations. The investment reflects the port's strategic assessment that offshore wind is the most significant new industrial activity available to Port Kembla over the next three decades.

The industrial workforce in the Wollongong region — whose skills in welding, heavy fabrication, structural steel, and mechanical engineering were developed in the steelmaking and port industries — is directly applicable to offshore wind component fabrication and assembly. The opportunity to convert existing industrial skills into offshore wind supply chain work is one of the most compelling aspects of the Illawarra offshore wind opportunity, as it creates employment pathways for the industrial workforce whose current employment in steel and mining services may be affected by the clean energy transition that offshore wind represents.

Engineering firms in Wollongong are positioning for the design, project management, and compliance work that offshore wind development requires, with several established engineering businesses having invested in the offshore wind technical expertise and industry certifications that make them credible suppliers to the international offshore wind developers who are likely to lead the major Illawarra zone projects.

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