The U.S. State Department published new guidance on visas
issued to crewmembers who will work aboard vessels engaged in
offshore wind farm operations. Vessel owners and project managers
in the offshore wind sector should examine these changes and
implement internal procedures to facilitate future wind farm
projects.
New Development
The State Department has updated its policy guidance in the
Foreign Affairs Manual of the United States (the "FAM")
to include a visa category for offshore wind projects. Blank Rome
coordinated this effort along with the relevant agencies in the
U.S. government. This new guidance solves a regulatory hurdle that
had been causing logistical problems for the industry by clarifying
the correct type of visa that will be issued by U.S. embassies to
crewmembers working on vessels on offshore wind projects.
