The National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) has presented the 2018 Safety-in-Seas (SIS) Safety Practice Award to Deepwater Wind in recognition of its safety practices during and after the installation of Block Island Wind Farm, the U.S.’ first offshore wind farm.

The company’s safety innovations included the design and use of a crew transfer vessel and a transfer/ascent/descent system using self-retracting lifeline fall-arrest technology.

Jeff Grybowski, president and CEO of Providence, R.I.-based Deepwater Wind, accepted the award today during NOIA’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

“We are honored to receive this prestigious offshore energy industry award from NOIA,” said Grybowski. “Deepwater Wind is proud to have successfully constructed the first offshore wind farm in America, and we are equally as proud of our excellent safety record during the project’s first year of commercial operations.”

Deepwater Wind says it logged over 40,000 offshore person-hours without a safety incident during the Block Island Wind Farm’s first year of operation.

“Deepwater Wind broke ground as the developer of America’s first offshore wind farm and has done so again as the first renewable energy company to win the NOIA Safety-in-Seas Award,” said NOIA’s president, Randall Luthi. “Safe offshore operations, both traditional and non-traditional, are essential in meeting our nation’s energy needs, and I congratulate Deepwater Wind for setting the bar for excellence in safe offshore wind operations while paving the way for the nascent U.S. offshore wind industry.”

Deepwater Wind’s entry was evaluated by an independent panel of judges from the U.S. Coast Guard, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, the Transportation Research Board, and an industry safety consultant. Aries Marine Corp., Chevron USA-Gulf of Mexico Business Unit, Frank’s International and Talos Energy were also nominated for the 2018 Safety Practice Award.

NOIA has held the SIS awards competition since 1978 to recognize those who contribute to improving the safety of life in the offshore energy industry. The awards are sponsored by Compass Publications Inc.