Japan selects four potential ports for offshore wind power

Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) has recently picked four potential port areas for offshore wind development, namely Noshiro and Akita ports in Akita prefecture, the Port of Kashima in Ibaraki prefecture and the Port of Kitakyusyu in Fukuoka prefecture.

According to the Port and Harbor Law amended by MLIT in February, the Japanese authorities shall select port zones suitable for developing offshore wind base on the following qualifying criteria: supply of surface area for loading, assembly, mooring structure for installation and maintenance of offshore wind facilities. Another criteria are that whether there are facilities with a certain level of installed renewable  capacity near the port or will be developed in the future and whether the location of the port can serve multiple operators.

Taking Port of Kashima for example, it was nominated as a potential offshore wind port zone although there is no offshore wind promotion areas in the general water off Ibaraki prefecture. However, there is an offshore windfarm development plan in Kajima port water  and its nearby Choshi wind farm off Chiba Prefecture has been designated an offshore wind promotion zone. 

Reference:
第6回交通政策審議会港湾分科会環境部会洋上風力促進小委員会