Equinor and bp sign agreement to transform South Brooklyn Marine Terminal into central hub for offshore wind industry
Equinor, and its partner bp, announced an agreement to turn the storied South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT) complex in Brooklyn, New York into a major regional hub for offshore wind, according to the company's release.
Under the agreement, the terminal will transform into a world-class offshore wind port capable of staging and assembling the largest, most sophisticated offshore wind technology components for the Empire Wind and Beacon Wind projects and for the growing U.S. offshore industry on the East Coast.
The agreement was co-signed by terminal operator Sustainable South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SSBMT) and New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC).
The offshore wind projects on the US east coast are key building blocks to accelerate profitable growth in renewables and Equinor’s ambition to install 12-16 GW of renewables capacity by 2030.
Equinor and bp will create an operations and maintenance (O&M) hub and staging area at SBMT, with a total investment of USD 200 – USD 250 million in infrastructure upgrades, while also pursuing the development of SBMT as a low-emissions facility. The port will become a cutting-edge staging facility for Equinor and bp’s Empire Wind and Beacon Wind projects that will supply 3.3 gigawatts (GWs) of energy—enough to power nearly two million New York homes —as well as become a go-to destination for future offshore wind projects in the region.
The redevelopment will inject the Sunset Park waterfront with substantial investment from the new renewable energy economy, creating new jobs and providing an economic boost to the community. Equinor and bp’s activities at SBMT are anticipated to support over one thousand jobs annually in the region.
At approximately 73.1 acres, SBMT will be one of the largest dedicated offshore wind port facilities in the United States. It is the only industrial waterfront site in the New York City area with the capacity to accommodate wind turbine generator staging and assembly activities at the scale required by component manufacturers.
Equinor recently announced the opening of the New York offshore wind project office, adjacent to SBMT in Industry City, to serve as the hub for Equinor and bp’s regional offshore wind activities. The office will also be home to an offshore wind learning center that will provide New Yorkers an opportunity to learn about this growing new industry.
