Big changes are in the works for the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, as officials are eager for a deep-water container port to be established at the waterfront property. NY1's Grace Rauh filed the following report.

In the future, boats hauling cargo may be docking at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal. The idea is that giant containers would then be loaded onto an industrial rail system and sent around the city and to Long Island.

Officials said that alone would eliminate the need for tens of thousands of truck trips from ports in New Jersey.

"It's a very substantial environmental impact," said Mayor Bill de Blasio. "We think there's going to be a net growth in jobs, good-paying jobs."

The shipping changes are part of the city's overall plan for the 88-acre waterfront site. The city's Economic Development Corporation is looking for a marine cargo tenant to lease the land after recently reaching a lease agreement for the property with the City Council.

It was not always smooth sailing for the project, though. The local councilman, Carlos Menchaca, proved to be a significant obstacle.

Menchaca almost derailed the city's plans. He wanted the property to be managed by a group of local representatives, not the city's Economic Development Corporation. City Councilman Daniel Garodnick helped broker a deal between the de Blasio administration and the councilman back in April.

"What you see today is a different plan from what was originally proposed," Menchaca said. "There is a lot of accountability measures embedded in this."

The compromise deal is for a shorter 39-year lease at the site. It also calls for the creation of a local advisory board.

Menchaca's role did not go unmentioned.

"He was put to the test," said Rep. Nydia Velazquez, whose district covers parts of Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan. "And it's not easy, as you saw and you learned."

The mayor also announced Monday that Maria Torres-Springer, the city's commissioner for Small Business Services, will be the next president of the Economic Development Corporation. The Conflicts of Interest Board had to sign off on the appointment because of her husband's work for a real estate advisory firm.