Last week the Brooklyn South Marine Terminal (SBMT)
in Sunset Park, Brooklyn was designated part of the new federal "marine
highway" to foster greater local and international commerce, and to foster
greater use of NYC’s local waterways.
Plans include the creation of a container carrying
barge service (like that behind me in the photo above) between the Port of Elizabeth
and the SBMT, to have an ability to support the nearby Red Hook container terminal, and the
development of a deep water container port.
As part of the blueprint for a "sustainable
city," it's believed that by moving thousands of trucks from NYC streets by
floating them over from New Jersey to Brooklyn, not only will truck traffic and
road repairs be reduced, but there will also be a decrease in carbon dioxide emissions by
roughly 10,000 tons.
Present at the SBMT announcement were NYC Mayor Bill
De Blasio and numerous other city, state, and federal officials, including City
Council Member Carlos Menchaca, who represents the Sunset Park and Red Hook
neighborhoods, Congresswoman Nydia Vasquez and Assemblyman Felix Ortiz, who
also represent this local district, and Eric Adams, the Brooklyn Borough President.
With $1.2 trillion flowing through the NYC economy
each year, NYC Economic Development Corp. will be managing the development of
SBMT with the dual aim to also reinvigorate job creation in the neighborhood
Sunset Park.
With a maritime and manufacturing community growing
here in Sunset Park, including my friends over at Manufacture New York, I am
looking forward to seeing how SBMT enhances local manufacturing efforts for the
better.
On Twitter @fashcompliance
