The Port of New York and New Jersey’s South Brooklyn Marine Terminal in Sunset Park has officially been reactivated as a working maritime port facility.
The US Maritime Administration and US Department of Transportation also announced the inclusion of SBMT and nearby Red Hook Container Terminal into US Marine Highway System, which will make cargo operations in Southwest Brooklyn eligible for future federal support.
”This is a big step towards putting our waterfront back to work. Soon, cargo ships that would have docked in New Jersey will be docking here in Brooklyn, bringing good jobs, taking trucks off our streets and helping spur this growing industrial hub,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Back in May, the NY City Council approved a long-term master lease between the City and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) to activate an industrial maritime facility at SBMT.
The project will return maritime service to SBMT and allow for calls from a new generation of cargo ships that import consumer goods and raw materials from around the world.
In addition, upgraded rail connections at the site make SBMT the only marine terminal in Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island capable of handling ocean-going vessels, barges and rail on the east side of New York Harbor.
The ”America’s Marine Highway Program” is a federal initiative, led by the US Department of Transportation, that seeks to integrate the nation’s 29,000 nautical miles of navigable waterways into the overall US transportation network.