Equinor and bp have announced that Skanska USA has been chosen as the Construction Manager for the port upgrade of the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT). A transformative project in Southwest Brooklyn, the SBMT site will build upon its decades-long history as a staple of Brooklyn's working waterfront by becoming an industry-leading offshore wind port for the Empire Wind and Beacon Wind projects, which are being developed off the coast of Long Island through a 50-50 partnership between Equinor and bp. Skanska's initial involvement will be to provide pre-construction services.
The announcement was made at Equinor's Supply Chain Expo at the CUNY Graduate Center, an event focused on helping local and regional manufacturers participate in New York's new offshore wind industry and connecting them directly with Equinor and its key suppliers.
SBMT will provide crucial infrastructure for the construction of the Empire and Beacon Wind projects, which will bring 3.3 GW of offshore wind power into New York, powering around 2 million homes. SBMT will be equipped to receive, store and pre-assemble key components for offshore wind turbines, serve as the operations and maintenance base for the wind farms, and include a substation that will serve as the point of interconnection to link the power from Empire Wind 1 into the local power grid.
"The South Brooklyn Marine Terminal will play an integral role in powering New York homes with offshore wind energy, while restoring the working waterfront of Sunset Park and creating renewable energy career opportunities. SBMT is at the heart of our offshore wind hub, and once completed, will become a leading port facility for offshore wind nationwide. Skanska has a long history of construction in the neighborhoods of our projects, Empire Wind and Beacon Wind. Together, we will collaborate in seeking to lower emissions from construction and bringing communities as well as minority and women owned business enterprises (MWBEs) into the supply chain. Equinor is excited to begin working with Skanska to transform the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal into a leading offshore wind hub for the community, New York State, and the nation," said Molly Morris President of Equinor Wind US.
Matthias Bausenwein, bp's senior vice president offshore wind, said: "This port upgrade allows us to keep growing good offshore wind jobs and will help position the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal as a cornerstone for New York's expanding offshore wind industry. We're pleased that Skanska will join us in advancing this exciting project that supports the state's net-zero ambitions - and those of our companies."
Skanska, a 135-year-old firm, has been in New York City since 1971 when they worked on their first US project to rebuild the New York City Subway. Since then, the United States has become the company's single largest market. Some of their major projects in New York include the Moynihan Train Hall, the World Trade Center Oculus and the new LaGuardia Terminal B, recognized for its construction approach to sustainability and resilience from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure. Skanska also has a long history of working with New York MWBEs and union labor and will play an integral role in creating local job opportunities during the SBMT redevelopment.
"Skanska is delighted to partner with Equinor and bp on this cutting-edge project that will provide clean energy to millions of New Yorkers and reinforces our commitment to build for a better society. Through the strength of our building and civil construction operations here in New York City, this project will play a vital role in the community, providing a significant source of sustainable and renewable energy, while enhancing supplier diversity and increasing economic activity," said Justin Post, Senior Vice President, Skanska USA Building.
Once completed, the terminal will be one of the largest offshore wind hubs in the nation and will serve as a national model for creating an offshore wind energy hub. Construction is expected to begin in 2024.
Equinor Renewables US
Equinor is one of the largest offshore wind developers in the world. Its work in the United States includes the development of two lease areas off of New York, Empire Wind and Beacon Wind. The projects plan to provide New York State with 3.3 gigawatts (GWs) of energy enough to power nearly two million homes including more than 2 GWs from Empire Wind and 1,230 megawatts from Beacon Wind 1. www.equinor.com/NY
bp in the US
bp's ambition is to become a net zero company by 2050 or sooner, and to help the world get to net zero. bp has a larger economic footprint in the United States than anywhere else in the world, investing more than $135 billion in the economy and supporting about 245,000 jobs. For more information on bp in the US, visit www.bp.com/us.
About Empire Wind
Empire Wind is being developed by Equinor and bp through their 50-50 strategic partnership in the US. Empire Wind will power more than 1 million homes and generate 2.1 GW of power. For more information, please visit www.empirewind.com.
About Beacon Wind
Beacon Wind is being developed by Equinor and bp and planned for an area of 128,000 acres in federal waters between Cape Cod and Long Island. The lease area was acquired in 2019 and is being developed in two phases. Beacon Wind 1 is on track to deliver 1.2 GW of renewable energy directly to New York City in the late 2020s - enough to power 1 million homes. Beacon Wind 2 has the capacity to generate another 1.2 GW of clean energy for consumers in the US Northeast. www.beaconwind.com
Contacts
Lauren Shane
Laush@equinor.com
+1 (917) 392- 4252
Brian Young
bry@equinor.com
+1 (917) 915-6461
