The South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT) in Sunset Park, Brooklyn has earned WEDG® (Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines) Verification from the Waterfront Alliance, recognizing the project as a national model for resilient, sustainable, and community-responsive working waterfront redevelopment.

Developed by Equinor’s U.S. affiliate with a design team led by Jacobs and constructed by Skanska, the 75-acre port facility is the largest maritime industrial project to receive WEDG Verification. The project transforms a historic, but long-derelict and contaminated port site into a modern maritime hub capable of supporting cargo operations, maritime logistics, and heavy-lift industrial activity.

Among the first purpose-built container and intermodal terminals in the world, the historic site sat largely inactive for decades before undergoing extensive environmental remediation and reconstruction. Today, SBMT demonstrates how legacy industrial waterfronts can be restored to productive use while incorporating forward-looking environmental and resilience measures.

The redeveloped terminal restores critical maritime infrastructure in New York Harbor, providing modern berthing space and cargo staging capacity to support a wide range of industrial and logistics uses. Located in the heart of Sunset Park, the facility includes more than 70 acres of staging and cargo space, multiple piers with heavy-lift crane platforms, dredged berths capable of accommodating large vessels, and approximately 85,000 square feet of operational space including offices, warehouses, and secure staging areas.

Major resilience improvements were incorporated across the site. A raised bulkhead along the water’s edge is designed to protect the terminal against projected sea-level rise through 2080, while critical assets and buildings are constructed at higher elevations. Much of the waterfront infrastructure was previously in poor condition or had collapsed and has now been fully restored to support the demands of modern maritime operations.

Stormwater management was also redesigned across the site. Historically, runoff flowed directly into New York Harbor, but the rebuilt terminal has installed hydrodynamic separators to remove solids from the stormwater in compliance with both state and municipal drainage and water quality standards. Environmental features include solar power, electric vehicle charging stations, and a green roof on the primary operations building. The planting palette draws inspiration from nearby ecosystems including Brooklyn Bridge Park, Gowanus Bay, and Green-Wood Cemetery, supporting biodiversity while improving stormwater performance. The building will also feature an exterior mural designed by a local artist.

The project also includes WindScape Brooklyn, a nearby community learning center that offers interactive exhibits and educational programming focused on renewable energy and climate solutions.

SBMT received support and funding from New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and New York State Energy and Research Development Authority to achieve the WEDG Certification.

This is an artist’s rendering of the facility at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal. Image courtesy of Equinor Wind.