City’s First Offshore Wind Transmission Connection and Port in Sunset Park to Become Staging Hub for 54-Turbine Empire Wind 1 Project, Will Deliver 810 Megawatts of Renewable Electricity to City
Project Advances Green Transition to Renewable Energy, Bolstering City’s National Leadership in Offshore Wind Industry
Will Create Thousands of New ‘Green-Collar’ Jobs in Coming Years, Continue to Develop New York’s “Harbor of the Future,” Advances Progress Towards State’s CLCPA Offshore Wind Goal of 9,000 Megawatts by 2035
Effort Builds on Mayor Adams’ “Spring Jobs Sprint” to Advance Opportunities for Thousands of Jobs
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President and CEO Andrew Kimball, Equinor Wind US President Molly Morris, and the Sustainable South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, L.P. (SSBMT) today announced the start of construction of what will be the nation’s largest dedicated offshore wind port at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT) in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. The project will accelerate the clean energy transition, make New York City synonymous with offshore wind, advance progress toward the state’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) goal to develop 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035, and create a new industry with thousands of ‘green-collar’ jobs on site and in the supply chain. SBMT — a historic home for New York City’s working waterfront — is a 73-acre site that will serve as a cutting-edge facility for offshore wind operations. It will also serve as the operations and maintenance hub for Empire Wind 1, a large offshore wind project, the first phase of which will deliver 810 megawatts of renewable energy to New York — enough to power 500,000 homes. Additionally, SBMT will host an onshore substation to connect electricity from the offshore wind turbines into New York City’s' electricity grid at the Gowanus Substation in Brooklyn.
Mayor Adams first announced an agreement between NYCEDC, Equinor, and SSBMT (a partnership between Industry City and the Red Hook Container Terminal) to transform SBMT into one of the largest offshore wind port facilities in the nation in March 2022. Today’s announcement builds on Mayor Adams’ efforts to develop a “Harbor of the Future,” a multifaceted initiative, and the “Green Economy Action Plan” — both announced by Mayor Adams in his 2024 State of the City address to reimagine New York City’s waterfront and fuel 21st-century growth and innovation. The announcement also builds on Governor Hochul’s commitment to unlocking economic potential on New York state land, building strong community anchors, and creating good-paying jobs of the future. SBMT will also be a low-emissions facility with solar power and electric vehicle charging stations onsite. The port will provide onshore power and charging for the Empire Wind Service Operations Vessel, the first plug-in hybrid vessel for the U.S. offshore wind industry. Construction on the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
“Today, we are powering up New York’s clean energy economy and creating more than 1,000 union jobs for working-class New Yorkers as we break ground on the largest dedicated offshore wind port in the nation at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal,” said Mayor Adams. “In addition to creating jobs and economic growth, this offshore wind project will significantly reduce our carbon footprint and ensure our city meets our climate goals of 100-percent clean electricity by 2040 and carbon neutrality by 2050. Together with our recent acquisition of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal in nearby Red Hook, we are well on our way to reimagining Brooklyn’s working waterfront for the 21st century, powered by the green economy and through our ‘Green Economy Action Plan’ that will help create jobs and opportunity for generations to come.”
“We are taking a large step forward in our commitment to build a sustainable future and foster economic growth,” said Governor Hochul. “With the groundbreaking of South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, New York is fueling the redevelopment of the Brooklyn waterfront, bringing important investments to our communities, creating good-paying jobs, and building the model for the offshore wind industry that the rest of the nation can follow.”
“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, Equinor Renewables Americas. “We are proud to restore this historic working waterfront in Brooklyn and grateful for the shared commitment to offshore wind shown by this community and by city, state and federal leaders who made this milestone possible. This construction will result in union jobs and local economic benefits while supporting a project that will deliver homegrown power to New Yorkers and position the state as a leader in the advancing offshore wind industry.”
“Today's groundbreaking at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal is monumental for New York. This project will build an offshore wind port and an operations and maintenance facility in Brooklyn and create a new renewable energy industry — and the local supply chain and workforce to grow it — in New York's ‘Harbor of the Future,’” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer. “I want to congratulate Equinor and our state partners, thank the team at NYCEDC, and I look forward to seeing the offshore wind industry expand in New York City to power a just transition, create thousands of ‘green-collar’ jobs, and deliver clean power to millions of New Yorkers.”
“Our city is in the crosshairs of climate change; we must be at the forefront with innovative solutions,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “Standing up the offshore wind industry isn’t easy, but it is essential — delivering good green jobs and clean energy for a lower-emissions future. This is real, concrete progress for a better city and a better world. My deepest thanks to the many experts and advocates across the private sector and our city and state governments who have gotten us to this moment.”
“The redevelopment of the long-underutilized South Brooklyn Marine Terminal into one of the nation’s largest offshore wind ports is a transformative step forward in the implementation of the Adams Administration’s Green Economy Action Plan and toward a cleaner, greener future for all New Yorkers,” said NYCEDC President and CEO Andrew Kimball. “Thanks to a strong public-private partnership between NYCEDC, offshore wind developer Equinor, SSBMT, and the local community, this project will provide 500,000 New York City homes with green power, create thousands of jobs and procurement opportunities with a focus on Sunset Park, an environmental justice community. SBMT will also become the city’s most visible physical manifestation of its transition to the green economy as every day literally millions of New Yorkers and visitors will witness the staging and deployment of massive offshore wind component parts.”
“This nation-leading offshore wind port being built at South Brooklyn Marine Terminal demonstrates New York City’s commitment to transition its fossil fuel dependent electric grid to 100 percent clean energy by 2040 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050,” said New York City Chief Climate Officer Rohit T. Aggarwala. “The community-led, green revitalization of this industrial waterfront site into a major offshore wind production hub will deliver renewable, sustainable energy directly into the power grid, create thousands of ‘green-collar’ jobs, significantly reduce our carbon footprint, and usher in a cleaner, healthier future for the Sunset Park community.”
“Due to polluting infrastructure and heavy truck traffic, some of the most harmful types of air pollution are higher on average in Sunset Park than the rest of Brooklyn and New York City,” said Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice Executive Director Elijah Hutchinson. “The South Brooklyn Marine Terminal’s transformation into an offshore wind hub — a community-driven idea — is the essence of a clean and just transition. This nation-leading offshore wind project will deliver 810 megawatts of renewable energy directly into the New York state power grid, help meet the state’s goal of 100 percent clean electricity by 2040 and create thousands of ‘green-collar’ jobs.”
“Today marks another monumental step in the transition away from fossil fuels through New York state’s commitment to delivering clean offshore wind power,” said New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) President and CEO Doreen M. Harris. “The modernization and expansion of the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal is a gamechanger for the offshore wind industry, not only in New York, but in the U.S. I congratulate Equinor and SBMT as this facility is now officially on its way to becoming the largest dedicated offshore wind port in the United States.”
“Today’s groundbreaking at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal is a big step forward towards achieving New York’s clean energy future,” said Empire State Development President, CEO, and Commissioner Hope Knight. “This project will create good-paying jobs and boost the economy, attracting further investment in New York City while securing clean, renewable energy for New Yorkers.”
In September 2021, the city and NYCEDC unveiled a 15-year, $191 million Offshore Wind Vision Plan to make New York a leading destination for the industry. To deliver on that vision, early in his administration, in March 2022, Mayor Adams announced the agreement between NYCEDC, Equinor, and SSBMT. As part of that deal, SBMT will be upgraded and the terminal will be built out as Empire Wind 1’s long-term operations and maintenance base, which will include a control room that measures turbine data and monitors the project around-the-clock. Empire Wind 1 will be the first offshore wind farm to connect directly to New York City’s power grid.
Over the last year, tremendous progress has been made to establish New York City as the nation’s primary offshore wind hub. The offshore wind industry in New York City will create up to 13,000 jobs by 2035. SBMT alone will create more than 1,000 union jobs during the construction phase, 200 assembly jobs, and 50 permanent positions.
Last week, NYSERDA and Equinor finalized a new contract for Empire Wind 1 that provides a range of economic benefits to support economic development in New York City and across the state. Investments include increased funding for workforce and community development, with significant investments already underway in Sunset Park’s new Offshore Wind Learning Center, as well as in the Offshore Wind Innovation Hub and the Offshore Wind Ecosystem Fund.
Increasing Equity in Contracting Opportunities
New York City’s Offshore Wind Vision plan has led with equity to not only reach its nation-leading climate goals but ensure that this rapidly-growing industry is an opportunity for all New Yorkers — particularly those who have been historically left behind or harmed by previous energy investments:
- The city and Equinor are committed to a nation-leading goal of 30 percent minority- and women-owned business enterprises (M/WBE) utilization. To date, Equinor has awarded more than 25 percent of the project opportunities to M/WBEs. NYCEDC, Equinor, and Empire Wind 1 construction manager Skanska remain committed to implementing additional strategies to support and engage more M/WBEs in the coming phases.
- In 2023, NYCEDC launched the Waterfront Pathways Program to counter documented disparities in public procurement by increasing opportunities for minority-, women-, and disadvantaged-owned business enterprises in the offshore wind and waterfront industries. Graduate firms from the first two cohorts of the program have won 25 NYCEDC contract awards for a total value of $2.6 million. Participant firms have also experienced a 4 percent increase in personnel count, as well as an overall business revenue growth of 10 percent.
Workforce Development and Career Pipeline
Over the last two years, New York City has made immense progress to prepare local workers and create opportunities for New Yorkers from all backgrounds and businesses to seize upon the economic opportunities that will be created by these infrastructure investments, including by supporting pathways to unionized jobs through pre-apprenticeship programs. Initial investments from the city and Equinor include:
- In March 2024, Empire Wind and the Building & Construction Trades Council of Greater New York and Vicinity announced the signing of a project labor agreement for the construction of SBMT, which establishes working standards, industry-leading safety practices, and equity in the construction of the terminal — creating over 1,000 union construction jobs and apprenticeships in local New York communities, as well as thousands of indirect jobs in manufacturing, shipping, and logistics. The project labor agreement prioritizes hiring hyperlocal union members from the Sunset Park community, and secondarily, union members from New York City.
- The launch of the Offshore Wind Ecosystem Fund, a $5 million clean energy community grant program designed to support sustainable growth, workforce development, empowerment of underserved communities, and climate justice in the city’s emerging offshore wind ecosystem.
- New York Harbor School graduates are now being trained by Edison Chouest, Equinor’s OSW Operations and Maintenance vessel operator that will be based at SBMT, giving those students skills and pathways to careers at SBMT.
- The Workforce1 Industrial Transportation Center at the Brooklyn Army Terminal will help New Yorkers enroll in an Apprentice Readiness Collective pre-apprenticeship program to put them on the path towards family sustaining union jobs so they can find work on future offshore wind and renewable energy infrastructure projects.
- In 2024, Kingsborough Brooklyn Community College began to offer workforce programs to students interested in entering the offshore wind industry, including maritime career and welding training.
- Mayor Adams previously pledged $10 million to The City University of New York for capital costs associated with workforce development programs across associated campuses, including $3 million invested in Kingsborough Brooklyn Community College for a maritime workforce training facility and upgrades to a hybrid maritime vessel.
- In April, NYCEDC hosted the fifth annual Offshore Wind and Maritime Career Awareness Fair, where 100 industry representatives and volunteers participated and over 500 high schoolers learned more about the developing maritime-oriented green energy sector.
As the city reaches a new private-sector jobs high, with the lowest unemployment since August 2022 and the lowest Black unemployment since before the pandemic, Mayor Adams has kicked off a “Spring Jobs Sprint” to advance opportunities for thousands of new jobs over the coming weeks. To push this Spring Jobs Sprint forward and build the Harbor of the Future, last month, Mayor Adams was joined by Governor Hochul and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to announce an agreement to transform the Brooklyn Marine Terminal into a modern maritime port and vibrant mixed-use community hub, with the potential to create thousands of jobs. The project also builds on generational and forward-looking projects across all five boroughs that Mayor Adams has advanced over the past two years, including Willets Point in Queens, the New York Climate Exchange on Governors Island, Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx, the SPARC Kips Bay life sciences hub in Manhattan, the North Shore Action Plan, among others.
Sunset Park in South Brooklyn is poised to be an emerging hub for climate innovation. The waterfront district has extensive industrial infrastructure, a diverse array of tenants and uses, and connection to major transportation networks. NYCEDC’s primary assets in Sunset Park include the Brooklyn Army Terminal, SBMT, and the Made in New York Campus. Each of these assets provides unique opportunities for innovation and business development, and they support a just transition to decarbonize New York City’s economy.
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