John O’Keeffe serves as the Vice President of Business Development for Waterson Terminal Services, where his main responsibilities are the expansion of terminal operations and strategic partnerships. In this capacity, Mr. O’Keeffe plays a critical role in identifying potential tenants, cultivating client relationships, and exploring new terminal locations to drive business growth, encompassing not only offshore wind but also traditional bulk, break bulk, and project cargos.
With a distinguished career in the offshore wind industry, John O’Keeffe has played pivotal roles in shaping its development in the United States. He made history as the first Operations & Maintenance Manager of an Offshore Wind Farm in the country and spearheaded the establishment of the marine coordination center during the construction of the Block Island Wind Farm (BIWF).
Notably, John pioneered the advancement of US offshore wind by founding the nation’s first dedicated Marine Affairs department. This department facilitates collaboration among all maritime stakeholders and provides essential guidance tailored to the unique American maritime landscape, thus driving project development, construction, and operation forward by providing policies, procedures, and solutions tailored to the complex US market. This innovative concept has now been adopted by all US offshore wind developers.
John’s journey in offshore wind began with Deepwater Wind, where he served as Manager of Operations & Maintenance and Head of Marine Affairs. During his tenure, he managed the nation’s first offshore wind project, BIWF, which serves as a catalyst for further industry growth and innovation. Following Deepwater’s acquisition by Ørsted, John continued to play a key role in offshore wind development as Head of Marine Affairs North America.
Prior to joining Waterson Terminal Services, John served as Head of Renewables, Americas for Blue Water Shipping, a global transport & logistics company, where he was responsible for evaluating new markets and developing strategic consortiums and partnerships in the Americas.
Before venturing into offshore wind, John accrued well over a decade of experience in various maritime roles, including deck officer, teacher, and captain. He holds a USCG 1600-ton Ocean Master license. He contributed his expertise to esteemed organizations such as the Sea Education Association (SEA) in Massachusetts and served as Port Captain at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) in St. Georges, Bermuda.
John’s commitment to service extends to his eight-year tenure in the United States Army, where he served as a sergeant in armored reconnaissance. He holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from Southern Vermont College and a graduate degree from the University of Rhode Island’s Marine Affairs program. Additionally, he has completed the Certificate in Leadership for Global Business and Politics from the Yale School of Management Executive Education.
Recognized for his outstanding contributions, John O’Keeffe was honored as the Propeller Club of Narragansett Bay Maritime Person of the Year in 2019. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Oliver Hazard Perry Rhode Island, and holds the position of VP at the Narragansett Bay Propeller Club Board. John is a sought-after figure in the offshore wind community, frequently participating in trade missions, committees, interviews, and speaking engagements, where he passionately advocates for the industry’s growth and sustainability.