Offshore

Equinor breaks ground on marine terminal key to supporting offshore Empire Wind 1

Equinor breaks ground on marine terminal key to supporting offshore Empire Wind 1
(From left to right) Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer, NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen Harris, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, President of Equinor Renewables Americas Molly Morris, Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10), President and CEO of NYCEDC Andrew Kimball, Executive Director of UPROSE Elizabeth Yeampierre (Photo credit: Tiger Stripe Media)

Today Equinor broke ground on construction at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT), kicking off the revitalization of the venerable port facility into a hub for offshore wind on the East Coast and a contributor to New York’s renewable energy ambitions.

SBMT will support Equinor’s first U.S. offshore wind project, Empire Wind 1, which finalized a new offtake agreement with New York last week. The 54-turbine project is located 15 miles offshore and has already satisfied key state and federal permitting milestones. Equinor is still targeting to deliver first power in late 2026.

Once completed, the facility will be one of the largest dedicated offshore wind hubs in the United States, designed to accommodate future offshore wind projects.

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“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. “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.”

The 73-acre construction project will create a staging and pre-assembly site for the turbine components of Empire Wind 1 and includes an onshore substation to connect 810 MW of wind power to the Gowanus substation, making Empire Wind 1 the first offshore wind project to connect directly to the New York City grid.

SBMT will be home to Empire Wind 1’s long-term Operations & Maintenance Base, which includes a control room that measures turbine data and monitors the project around the clock. SBMT is being developed as a low-emissions facility, with solar power and EV charging stations installed onsite.

SBMT is being redeveloped together with New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and terminal operator Sustainable South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SSBMT). SSBMT is a joint venture of Red Hook Terminals and Industry City.

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