Skanska, a leading global construction and development firm, has announced a contract award worth $861 million to transform the 73-acre South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT) into one of the nation’s largest dedicated offshore wind ports. This critical infrastructure project will support Empire Wind, which is currently being developed by Equinor 15 to 30 miles off New York.

“We are proud to play a role in the transformation of the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, which will transition a historic feature of Brooklyn’s waterfront into an industry-leading offshore wind port,” said Richard Kennedy, EVP, President, and CEO for Skanska in the U.S. “This project underscores Skanska’s commitment to building sustainable infrastructure, and this state-of-the-art facility will provide New York City with clean and alternative energy, as well as serve as a national model for renewable energy hubs.”

Skanska will leverage its civil infrastructure and building expertise to provide construction services for the low-emissions facility. The extensive project scope includes the demolition of existing buildings, ground improvements to support the staging of the wind turbine components, installation of underground utilities, and upgrades to site lighting, security, and safety systems, and the installation of two new heavy-lift crane pads. The work will also include significant waterfront and marine upgrades, including dredging of new and existing berths, bulkhead upgrades and installation of new wharf and dock facilities. A new 85,000-square foot operations and maintenance building with warehouse, office, and parking facilities will also be constructed to support the construction and ongoing operations and maintenance of the Empire Wind 1 project.

Upon completion, SBMT will function as essential infrastructure for the Empire Wind 1 project, facilitating the reception, storage, and pre-assembly of critical offshore wind turbine components.

The port will serve as the operational and maintenance hub for the wind farm, and act as the point of interconnection to integrate power from Empire Wind 1 to New York's electricity grid at the Gowanus Substation in Brooklyn. SBMT is designed to be a central, scalable hub for the expanding East Coast offshore wind market, including as a port for future offshore wind developments.

As a leader in sustainability, Skanska has set ambitious climate targets across global operations and aims to achieve a 70% carbon reduction by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2045 in its own operations and across its entire value chain. The firm is behind a myriad of renowned sustainable and resilient developments in the New York Metro area, including LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B, the East Midtown Greenway, and Moynihan Train Hall.