New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal (NBMCT)

The New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal is a multi-purpose facility designed to support the construction, assembly, and deployment of offshore wind projects, as well as handle bulk, break-bulk, container shipping and large specialty marine cargo

Wind turbine towers standing vertically at New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal and being moved with tall red cranes

New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal during construction of Vineyard Wind 1 project, August 2023

The New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal (NBMCT) has been engineered to be the most versatile heavy-lift cargo facility in the nation and is the first of its kind in North America.

Strategically located in the heart of New England on the Atlantic Coast of the United States, the Terminal has easy access to open water and is in a prime position to take advantage of both domestic and international shipping opportunities.

Leasing and docking space at the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal is currently available.

Latitude 41° 37’ 23” N Longitude 70° 54’ 50” W

Read about NBMCT's History

Video: Construction, specifications and location details for New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal (4m 30sec)

Advantages of shipping through the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal

Located within the Port of New Bedford, home to over 200 maritime businesses
29-acre facility, including 21 acres of heavy-lift capacity: uniform loading up to 4,100 psf and crane loads of up to 20,485 psf
1,200 feet of bulkhead, including 800 feet of deep draft berthing and 400 feet of barge berthing space
Within the most protected port in the U.S., the U.S Army Corps Hurricane Barrier guards against storms up to Category 3 hurricanes
Easily accessible and less congested than other nearby ports
No height restrictions on site, and no overhead restrictions from the Terminal to open water
Easy roadway connections to interstate highway system via I-95 or I-495 (via connections through New Bedford Route 18 and MA Route 140 and/or Route I-195)
No Harbor Maintenance Tax

Capabilities

High Loading Capacity

The New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal’s high capacity quayside is supported by a system of cellular cofferdams, a pile-supported marginal wharf and geotechnical-component, and dense graded aggregate pavement that allows for heavy uniform and concentrated loads.

Whereas many ports have a small quayside area specifically designated as the single hard point, over 21 acres of the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal’s Main Terminal site has the ability to sustain uniform loads of 4,100 pounds per square foot (20 metric tons per square meter) and concentrated loads of up to 20,485 pounds per square foot (100 metric tons per square meter). This loading capacity allows for massive mobile cranes and self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs) to operate throughout the site, increasing the efficiency of the work and providing logistical flexibility.

The highest uniform load capacity cargo facility quayside on the East Coast, the Terminal is capable of supporting a 1,350 metric ton crane lifting a 500 metric ton load at 30 meters along the entire 1,000-foot (305-meter) new bulkhead and throughout the more than 21-acre main facility.

Download Terminal Brochure

Aerial view of NBMCT + capacity ratings

Specifications

Navigation

The Terminal has no on-site height restrictions and no overhead restrictions on the route from the Terminal berth to open way in Buzzards Bay.

Tidal Range: 4 feet, on average

Distance Pilot Station to Berth: 30 nautical miles, 2 hours

Controlling Depth of Federal Channel: 28.6 feet MLLW

Controlling Depth of Terminal Approach Channel: 30 feet MLLW

Under Keel Clearance: 10% minimum

Vessel Parameters

The Terminal can accommodate the vessel sizes listed, subject to acceptance by the Northeast Marine Pilots Association.

The Pilots will consider large vessels equipped with dynamic positioning on a case-by-case basis.

With Bow Thruster	Without Bow Thruster
LOA: 550 ft (167.6 m)	LOA: 475 ft (144.8 m)
Beam: 80 ft (24.4 m)	Beam: 75 ft (22.9 m)
Draft: 28.5 ft (8.7 m)	Draft: 28.5 ft (8.7 m)

Berth	Length	Depth
Main Berth	600 feet	32 feet MLLW
Northern Berth	200 feet	32 feet MLLW
Southern Berth	400 feet	14 feet MLLW
Total Berth Area	1,200 feet of bulkhead	N/A

Berth Area

Berthing: Starboard side (bow first)

Bollards: Main Berth and Southern Berth: 50-foot spacing, alternating 50 ton and 200 ton bollards

Additional Terminal Features

Ship-to-shore power outlets along the bulkhead
Expandable electrical system, including a 3,000 amp, 480/277V, 3 phase, 4 wire system
Fire protection, potable water and waste water disposal capabilities
State-of-the-art Vega sector lights installed along the hurricane barrier to enhance vessel navigation
Work and security level lighting allow for around-the-clock activities within the Designated Port Area
U.S. Coast Guard regulated, secure maritime facility
750-ton mobile crane locally available

Services

Crane and Equipment

The Terminal has been designed to provide freedom of movement for very large crawler cranes across the entire 21-acre main facility and along the entire 1,000-foot new quayside.Customers shall rent/provide their own crane and other equipment services.MassCEC can provide a list of local crane, rental and equipment companies upon request.

Stevedoring

MassCEC does not provide stevedoring services at the Marine Commerce Terminal. Customers are welcome to utilize any stevedoring company, pending execution of the Stevedoring License and evaluation by MassCEC that that stevedore is in good standing. MassCEC can provide a list of the Terminal’s Licensed Stevedores upon request.

Read about plans for NBMCT expansion

MassCEC is committed to ensuring that the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal remains a key hub for offshore wind projects. Learn more about our ongoing expansion and improvement efforts designed to meet the growing demands of the offshore wind industry and support Massachusetts' climate goals.

Image of New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal Expansion outlined in red, white, yellow and green.

New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal Expansion, figure 3

Forms & Resources

Tariff Schedule

Docking at the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal is subject to MassCEC’s Tariff Schedule:

New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal Tariff Schedule No. 1 April 2016

Forms and Applications

Submit all forms and applications to J eannie Houde, Terminal Manager.

Security

High mast lighting provides illumination for the entire main facility, and the site perimeter is lined with an 8-foot tall chain-link fence, capped with three-strand barbed wire. Locked gates are available at the Potomska Street and Blackmer Street entrances. MassCEC provides security staff for foreign-flagged vessels visiting the Terminal (see published tariff schedule for more information) in compliance with 31 CFR part 105.

As a MARSEC facility, MassCEC cannot accommodate unscheduled visits to the Terminal. To schedule a tour of the Terminal, please contact Tim Griffin, Terminal Director. Normal business hours for the Terminal are 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday.