NOAA breaks ground on new Marine Operations Center

The United States' National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is to benefit from a new Atlantic coast facility, with officials gathering to break ground on the site in Newport, Rhode Island, earlier this week.

The $146.8 million Marine Operations Center Atlantic, partially funded by the Biden Administration's Inflation Reduction Act, will accommodate four large vessels and smaller docks, as well as provide space for vessel repairs, parking, and shoreside support.

Scheduled for completion in 2027, the facility will be located within Naval Station Newport, and will adhere to green building standards (LEED, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) as well as support NOAA’s lower-emission vessel operations.

Hopes that new center will support Rhode Island's blue economy

Participating in the ground-breaking ceremony, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo praised the project as a significant investment in climate and ocean research, bolstering NOAA’s relationship with the Navy and the Newport community, while NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad highlighted the new facility's climate resilience.

Meanwhile, Rear Admiral Nancy Hann, Director of the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps and NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations. emphasized its importance for regional and international partnerships.

“The new, state-of-the-art Marine Operations Center-Atlantic facility is critical to NOAA’s mission and delivering on our commitments to regional, international and other diverse partners,” Hann said.

“Newport has always been a welcoming community to NOAA, and we are appreciative of the support from local, state and congressional leaders, as well as our mission partners at Naval Station Newport," she added.

The project was supported by Rhode Island's congressional delegation and state leadership, who celebrated its potential to create jobs, enhance climate research, and strengthen Rhode Island's blue economy.