NYCEDC Seeks Port Operators to Propose Viable Strategies for Maritime Operations at Brooklyn Marine Terminal
Request for Expressions of Interest Will Identify Global Port Developers and Economically Viable Maritime Uses to Potentially Refine Approved Vision Plan for Brooklyn Marine Terminal
Approved $3.5 Billion Vision Plan for Brooklyn Marine Terminal Includes 60-Acre Modern, Sustainable, All-Electric Port and 275,000 Square Feet of New Industrial Space
NEW YORK, NY—New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) today launched a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) to solicit proposals from domestic and international port operators, developers, and maritime industrial businesses on potential maritime operations at the Brooklyn Marine Terminal (BMT). As part of this RFEI, NYCEDC is seeking input on the optimal size, layout, and economically viable uses of the commercial port, including potential “Blue Highways” connections to Hunts Point. Responses may further inform the refinement of the recently approved Vision Plan for BMT, as the project moves forward through environmental review and eventually to one or more Requests for Proposals (“RFPs”) for developers, port operators, and maritime users for the proposed port and industrial facility.
The launch of this RFEI delivers on a key commitment in the Vision Plan for BMT, which was approved by a super-majority vote of the BMT Task Force in September. The approved plan, backed by $418 million in city, state, and federal funds, will transform the dilapidated marine terminal into a 60-acre, all-electric maritime port that can, once again, serve as a key economic driver for the community and city. The RFEI will solicit feedback from the global business community regarding the potential to significantly increase the type and/or level of maritime industrial activity at the BMT port facility, as well as what infrastructure investments or other improvements would be most important in achieving this increase.
“The Vision Plan for the Brooklyn Marine Terminal has always had the working port at its core, and we’re excited to invite new proposals from global experts on how we might optimize maritime industrial operations at the site,” said NYCEDC President and CEO Andrew Kimball. “With a supermajority coalition voting to approve the Vision Plan, and with today’s RFEI, we’re ready to deliver on the modern, sustainable, resilient port and good maritime jobs.”
NYCEDC welcomes responses from all interested parties including those interested in acting as the operator/developer of the entire port facility or those interested in operating on a portion of the site as a tenant to the port operator. NYCEDC also welcomes responses from any interested maritime based industrial business that is interested in operating on the site even if they do not conform exactly to the vision of the port presented in the BMT Vision Plan. A site visit and informational session will be held October 30 at 10:00 A.M., and interested parties can register now. Responses are due by December 15 at 11:59 P.M.
“The launch of this RFEI is the latest exciting step in our work to fully revitalize the Brooklyn Marine Terminal,” said U.S. Representative Dan Goldman. “With the information we gather, we will have a complete picture on the size of an investment the private sector is willing to make into port operations, which will help the BMT Development Corporation make informed decisions based on verified market data as we move through the planning process and consider the full range of desired uses on site.”
“This is a generational opportunity to save our working waterfront and build a Terminal that meets Brooklyn's needs. That's why it's so important we get it right,” said State Senator Andrew Gounardes. “This RFEI is one of many steps built into the Brooklyn Marine Terminal Vision Plan to allow us to engage deeply with industrial, maritime and business experts and ensure we're doing everything we can to create good jobs, support local businesses and build a future where everyone has economic opportunity. Thanks to EDC for moving quickly to issue this important call to action.”
“This RFEI can give us a clearer understanding of the BMT’s port potential, enabling us to make smart, informed decisions about the site’s maritime and industrial future,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “Manufacturing is a public good and offers good union jobs and pathways to the middle class that are otherwise disappearing from our city. I look forward to the picture this RFEI will paint regarding the sustainability of port operations, the activation of our Blue Highways, and the manufacturing potential of our waterfront.”
NYCEDC has already commenced work to improve the port. Earlier this year NYCEDC executed three maritime contracts totaling an initial $18 million, including $15 million for a new electric ship-to-shore crane, $2 million for fender repairs to Pier 10, and $1 million for the demolition and removal of four out-of-service cranes. Demolition and removal of the four out-of-service cranes was completed in September.
In addition to a revitalized port, the Vision Plan includes 6,000 new homes—including over 2,400 permanently-affordable units—as well as at least 28 acres of public space, 275,000 square feet of commercial space, 250,000 square feet of community facility space, and 275,000 square feet of light-industrial and industrial space at discounted rents. The plan, which covers a total of 122 acres, will also deliver vital resiliency and infrastructure upgrades for the area while generating an estimated $18 billion in economic impact, 37,000 temporary construction jobs, and 2,000 permanent jobs.
A redeveloped BMT would also serve as a critical node in the City’s Blue Highways initiative, a joint project between the New York City Department of Transportation and NYCEDC to promote the use of the city’s waterways for transporting goods in and around the city. The initiative aims to increase waterborne cargo as it reduces emissions, decreases roadway congestion, and increases the resiliency of the city’s supply chains. Major progress has been made on Blue Highways, including the unveiling of the Downtown Skyport, a multi-modal hub for sustainable transportation and last-mile delivery, the announcement of a new Hunts Point Marine Terminal in the place of the decommissioned Vernon C. Bain Center jail barge, and an additional waterside transloading facility in Hunts Point in partnership with Con Agg Global located adjacent to the Fulton Fish Market.
NYCEDC assumed operational control of BMT from the Port Authority in May 2024, when Mayor Adams and Governor Hochul announced their commitment to transforming the site into a modern maritime port and vibrant mixed-use community, ending 50 years of disinvestment and decay. To guide public engagement and develop a Vision Plan for the 122-acre site, NYCEDC convened a 28-member Task Force made up of elected officials, community and neighborhood stakeholders, and industry experts, chaired by Congressman Dan Goldman, with vice chairs State Senator Andrew Gounardes and Council Member Alexa Aviles.
The approved plan represents a wide range of community and stakeholder input. Over the past year, NYCEDC has engaged over 4,260 community members, received 915 survey responses, and held 47 public engagements, including 27 workshops, 15 feedback and info sessions, three town halls, and two surveys. Additionally, NYCEDC conducted 11 site tours with 198 members of the public, NYCHA residents, elected officials, and city agencies; 23 advisory group meetings; 32 task force meetings, office hours, and small group discussions; 13 stakeholder focus groups and project briefings with small businesses, community associations, and organizations; nine NYCHA Red Hook Houses East and West tabling events, focus groups, and feedback sessions; and five canvassing efforts in Red Hook with Green City Force.
About NYCEDC
New York City Economic Development Corporation is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization that works for a vibrant, inclusive, and globally competitive economy for all New Yorkers. We take a comprehensive approach, through four main strategies: strengthen confidence in NYC as a great place to do business; grow innovative sectors with a focus on equity; build neighborhoods as places to live, learn, work, and play; and deliver sustainable infrastructure for communities and the city's future economy. To learn more about what we do, visit us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
