New York Construction Report staff writer
The Brooklyn Marine Terminal will be transformed into a modern maritime port and mixed-use community hub, city andofficials announced this week.
An agreement in principle will allow the Port Authority to expand the Howland Hook Marine Terminal, which the Port Authority currently operates on Staten Island. The project is expected to create thousands of jobs for New Yorkers and create a new modern maritime port and community along the Brooklyn waterfront.
“This investment in the Red Hook working waterfront is crucial to the future of New York City,” said Frank Agosta, president, Local 1814 ILA. “We need to reimagine how freight and goods are delivered utilizing our 500 miles of waterfront. The workforce of ILA Local 1814 is ready to get to work and we thank the governor and mayor for this down payment”.
A taskforce will be created to connect a wide range of stakeholders including unions, workforce development, the adjacent community, and the maritime industry — to develop a shared vision for the future of this vital facility and district.
Urban design firm WXY will lead the engagement plan.
“For 20 years, skeptics thought this deal couldn’t get done, but our administration prioritized the ‘Harbor of the Future’ and now we have the potential to create thousands of new jobs, generate billions in economic impact, and build a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood and modern maritime port focused on getting trucks off the roads,” said Mayor Eric Adams. “The potential for this area is limitless, and we’re excited to work with the local community, our fellow elected officials, and key stakeholders to come up with a plan for these over 120 acres that works for Red Hook, for Brooklyn, and for our entire city.”
The city will assume control of the entire marine terminal in Brooklyn, 122 acres of waterfront in Red Hook and the Columbia Street Waterfront District including the existing Brooklyn Cruise Terminal.
Adams also announced an $80 million investment in the Brooklyn Marine Terminal to stabilize and repair Piers 7, 8, and 10, and to fund planning for the 122-acre waterfront’s future, including an up to $15 million investment to fund a new modern, electrified container crane for operations at the terminal.
By mid-June, NYCEDC will assume responsibility for management and operations of Brooklyn Marine Terminal, while supporting existing tenants, including assuming the recent five-year extension of Red Hook Container Terminal’s operating agreement. Through this effort, NYCEDC and the city aim to embrace the future of modern maritime, grow the existing specialized container business, enable the development of a citywide micro-mobility strategy to reduce truck traffic, and work with the community and key stakeholders on a master plan to ensure the long-term viability of the port while incorporating important community amenities.
Governor Kathy Hochul also announced $15 million to build a cold storage facility on-site.
The city plans to amend its lease of a 225-acre portion of Staten Island’s Howland Hook Marine Terminal to the Port Authority, which currently leases Howland Hook from the city, to give Port Authority operational control of the site. This will bring the entirety of Howland Hook under Port Authority control, supporting its ability to drive future expansions.
As part of an amended lease agreement announced in September 2023, Howland Hook’s new operator — global shipping and logistics company CMA CGM — committed more than $200 million to transform the site with modern facilities, expanded capacity, and sustainability upgrades — creating hundreds of new jobs and small business partnerships, particularly for minority and women owned businesses.
In the coming weeks, NYCEDC and Port Authority will execute a lease and associated agreements for both sites, allowing each to assume immediate control of onsite operations, subject to the approval of each agency’s board.
