Work on South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT) to support New York City’s offshore wind energy ambitions has begun.
Equinor and the SBMT partners held a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday to mark the beginning of the project. The facility will support Equinor’s 816 MW Empire Wind 1 project, which is being developed 15-30 miles (24-48 kms) southeast of Long Island. It will also be used to assist development of the Beacon Wind project. SBMT will facilitate the reception, storage and pre-assembly of critical offshore wind turbine components and will serve as the operational and maintenance hub.
The SBMT redevelopment is being led by Equinor, in cooperation with the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and terminal operator Sustainable South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SSBMT), a joint venture of Red Hook Terminals and Industry City. Skanska was awarded the USD861 million contract to build the facilities.
“Today’s groundbreaking at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal is a defining moment for Empire Wind 1 and for the long-term renewable energy ambitions of New York State and beyond,” said Molly Morris, president of Equinor Renewables Americas.
Once complete, SBMT will be one of the largest dedicated offshore wind hubs in the USA, according to Equinor.
HLPFI reported in 2023 that the Biden-Harris administration greenlit Empire Wind with the project receiving final approval in May this year. Equinor expects the project to come online in 2026. The Empire Wind project is lined up for development in two stages; Empire Wind 1 (816 MW) is scheduled to come online in 2026, and Empire Wind 2 (1,260 MW) in 2027. Vestas will supply its V236-15.0 MW turbines for the first stage of the development.
