Navigating New York Metropolis’s Waterways to Develop into Cleaner and Greener as Staten Island Ferries and NYC Ferry Start Testing Renewable Diesel
NEW YORK – New York Metropolis Division of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, New York Metropolis Division of Citywide Administrative Companies (DCAS) Commissioner Louis A. Molina, and New York Metropolis Financial Growth Company (NYCEDC) President and CEO Andrew Kimball at present introduced that the Staten Island Ferry and NYC Ferry will start testing the usage of renewable diesel gas, a petroleum-free various to conventional diesel gas. Renewable diesel reduces carbon emissions by 60 p.c or extra and its use within the ferries will assist practically 30 million annual riders navigate the town’s waterways in a extra sustainable method. NYC Ferry may even launch a short-term plan to improve engines on its largest vessels to scale back emissions and different pollution. Use of the gas in choose Staten Island Ferries and NYC Ferry vessels builds on the town’s latest announcement that 100% of the town’s 12,500 heavy-duty and off-road autos have accomplished the transition to renewable diesel, making New York Metropolis the primary main East Coast metropolis to implement this inexperienced know-how at such a big scale.
First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer, mentioned :
As New Yorkers, we perceive the pressing have to fight local weather change, and at present’s announcement is one other essential step ahead in that battle.
“In using renewable diesel for our ferry fleets, we’re demonstrating our dedication to decreasing dangerous emissions and reaffirming our dedication to creating each nook — and present — of our metropolis more healthy and extra sustainable, Whether or not it’s via revolutionary applied sciences or daring investments in inexperienced infrastructure, we’re constructing a cleaner, greener New York Metropolis for all our residents—one which prioritizes our surroundings, enhances high quality of life, and units an instance for cities around the globe.”
NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, mentioned:
The Staten Island Ferry is the busiest municipal ferry service within the nation, and we’re thrilled to scale back its carbon footprint through the use of a petroleum-free various to conventional diesel gas,
“The transportation sector is accountable for practically 28 p.c of greenhouse fuel emissions in our metropolis, however meaning it will also be a key a part of the answer. Decreasing dependence on fossil fuels gives a key step in direction of a greener and more healthy New York Metropolis.”
DCAS Commissioner Louis Molina, mentioned :
Increasing renewable diesel to the Staten Island Ferry and piloting it with NYC Ferries marks a major step in our efforts to make our fleet extra environmentally pleasant for the good thing about all New Yorkers,
“This groundbreaking initiative not solely cuts greenhouse fuel emissions through the use of renewable assets, but additionally aligns with our bigger imaginative and prescient for a greener municipal fleet. We’re proud to work alongside our sister businesses as we chart a brand new course for the town, and transition to cleaner sources of energy.”
New York Metropolis Financial Growth Company (NYCEDC) President & CEO Andrew Kimball, mentioned :
New Yorkers love their ferries, and at present we’re making a giant step ahead in delivering a greener and extra sustainable harbor,
“As we proceed to interrupt ridership data at NYC Ferry, it’s essential that we not solely take quick steps to scale back the emissions from our vessels however suppose strategically and holistically on the best way to create a extra sustainable system throughout the board.”
Staten Island Ferry Renewable Diesel Transition
NYC DOT is now testing the usage of renewable diesel on the Marchi Staten Island Ferry boat. The renewable gas serves as a direct alternative to Extremely Low Sulfur Diesel at present used within the ferry fleet. The company plans to increase renewable diesel to the complete Staten Island Ferry fleet in 2025. With an estimated 60 p.c discount within the Staten Island Ferry’s CO2 emissions; this transfer is essential to attaining a 50 p.c discount in these emissions by 2030.
The Staten Island Ferry is the busiest municipal ferry service within the nation, with roughly 45,000 passengers on a mean weekday, carrying practically 24 million passengers annually. It operates 24 hours per day, 12 months per 12 months, between Staten Island and Decrease Manhattan. Staten Island Ferry emissions symbolize 15 p.c of municipal authorities transportation emissions and emissions from gas use for ferry vessels symbolize 94 p.c of the Staten Island Ferry system’s greenhouse fuel emissions.
NYC Ferry Renewable Diesel Pilot & Fast Vessel Upgrades
NYCEDC and NYC Ferry will launch a 6-month pilot program of renewable diesel fuels on choose vessels. Following a profitable pilot, the objective can be to transition the complete fleet to renewable diesel in 2025. Moreover, NYCEDC and NYC Ferry will start the method of upgrading 13 350-passenger vessels, the system’s largest vessels, to satisfy the EPA’s most stringent Tier IV emission requirements. These conversations will cut back pollution like nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) by as much as 65 p.c.
These quick upgrades can be a part of a broader sustainability technique that can purpose to transition the NYC Ferry fleet towards zero-and reduced-emissions vessels. As a part of this technique, NYCEDC will start a research specializing in each the vessels themselves and modifications to shoreside infrastructure essential to assist their operation and NYCEDC anticipates this research concluding in late 2025. The research will present helpful perception into amenities and vessel operators all through the harbor. It’ll additionally function a helpful device to draw elevated grant help.
The NYC Ferry system gives greater than 7 million riders yearly with secure, reliable, reasonably priced, and accessible transit throughout the 5 boroughs. With six routes that contact each borough, 25 landings, and 38 vessels, the system spans 70 nautical miles and has the biggest passenger-only fleet within the nation. NYC Ferry has additional confirmed to be amongst New York Metropolis’s most resilient transit community with the quickest ridership restoration of any metropolis transit system for the reason that pandemic.
For the reason that launch of ‘NYC Ferry Ahead,’ NYCEDC and NYC Ferry has seen file ridership, whereas reducing the per passenger subsidy over 30 p.c from its peak. As well as, the plan has efficiently launched and expanded the NYC Ferry Low cost Program, elevated monetary transparency, and enhancing its service in cost-effective methods via the Rockaway Rocket, the Rockaway Reserve, and South Brooklyn Quicker Connections.
In September 2023, the Metropolis of New York turned the primary metropolis to start transitioning to renewable diesel on the East Coast of america. For the reason that begin of the transition in September 2023, renewable diesel has changed greater than 12 million gallons of fossil diesel, and already has been used to energy the town’s fleet of rubbish vehicles, ambulances, work vehicles, emergency mills, and extra. Renewable diesel can cut back life cycle greenhouse fuel emissions by 60 p.c or extra in comparison with common diesel, all whereas assembly the identical working specs as common diesel. Not like biodiesel, which is restricted to make use of in blends of 5 p.c to twenty p.c with common diesel, renewable diesel can be utilized as a full alternative of fossil diesel whereas nonetheless delivering the identical environmental advantages as biodiesel. The DCAS provide of renewable diesel has been sourced principally (98%) from waste animal fat and used cooking oil. The transition will forestall 162 million kilos of worldwide carbon dioxide emissions from coming into the air yearly, and it’ll function an essential bridge gas as viable electrical variations of those autos are developed and positioned into the market. DCAS expects to bid a contract for the renewable diesel within the upcoming weeks.
Right now’s announcement builds on the town’s efforts to scale back emissions from the transportation sector. In April 2024, the administration gained $77 million in federal grants to affect 180 college buses and construct a first-in-the-nation electrical truck charging depot on the Hunts Level Meals Distribution Middle. In Might 2024, DCAS launched its Clear Fleet Replace, highlighting that the town had surpassed 5,000 plug-in electrical autos and put in 2,000 electrical charging ports. Thus far, over 70 p.c of the town’s fleet — greater than 21,000 fleet items — now use sustainable fuels, together with electrical, hybrid electrical, photo voltaic, and biofuel autos. In December 2023, the New York Metropolis obtained $7.5 million in federal funding to electrify the Governors Island Ferry. In August 2024, the administration gained a $15 million federal grant from the U.S. Division of Transportation’s Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program to construct the nation’s largest curbside electrical car charging program. Moreover, the town has invested a whole bunch of thousands and thousands of {dollars} to make it simpler for New Yorkers to make use of extra sustainable modes of transportation. That features increasing Truthful Fares for half-priced subway fares and creating an identical program for the NYC Ferry, constructing file ranges of motorbike lane mileage and a historic growth of the town’s outer-borough greenway community, advancing generational transit-oriented housing improvement tasks, and extra.
Donnell Rehagen, CEO of Clear Fuels Alliance America, mentioned:
By using confirmed assets like renewable diesel at present, New York Metropolis is taking quick motion to scale back emissions,
“Transitioning 100% of the municipal fleet to renewable fuels was a outstanding achievement. Now, with renewable diesel powering the long-lasting Staten Island Ferries, New York Metropolis is charting a course to a cleaner future for all.”
Julie Tighe, president of the New York League of Conservation Voters, mentioned :
Decreasing emissions from our transportation sector is important to combating the local weather disaster and decreasing air air pollution,
We applaud Mayor Adams, Commissioners Rodriguez and Molina and NYCEDC President and CEO Andrew Kimball for transitioning the Staten Island Ferries and the NYC Ferries to renewable diesel. Renewable diesel gives quick environmental and well being advantages, which is why we ought to be doing the whole lot we will to encourage its use, together with passing a clear gas commonplace on the state stage in 2025.
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Navigating New York Metropolis’s Waterways to Develop into Cleaner and Greener as Staten Island Ferries and NYC Ferry Start Testing Renewable Diesel, supply
