The New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) announced that the Staten Island Ferry and NYC Ferry will begin testing the use of renewable diesel fuel sourced mostly (98%) from waste animal fats and used cooking oil. The fuel is a petroleum-free alternative to traditional diesel fuel that reduces carbon emissions by 60% or more.
The Staten Island Ferry is the U.S.’s busiest municipal ferry service with approximately 45,000 passengers on an average weekday, carrying nearly 24 million passengers each year. It operates 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, between Staten Island and Lower Manhattan. Staten Island Ferry emissions represent 15% of municipal government transportation emissions and emissions from fuel use for ferry vessels represent 94% of the Staten Island Ferry system’s greenhouse gas emissions.
NYCEDC and NYC Ferry will launch a 6-month pilot program of renewable diesel fuels on select vessels. Following a successful pilot, the goal will be to transition the entire fleet to renewable diesel in 2025. Additionally, the city said, NYCEDC and NYC Ferry will begin the process of upgrading 13,350-passenger vessels, the system’s largest vessels, to meet the EPA’s most stringent Tier IV emission standards. These conversations will reduce pollutants like nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) by up to 65%.
These immediate upgrades will be part of a broader sustainability strategy that will aim to transition the NYC Ferry fleet toward zero-and reduced-emissions vessels. As part of this strategy, NYCEDC will begin a study focusing on both the vessels themselves and changes to shoreside infrastructure necessary to support their operation. NYCEDC anticipates this study concluding in late 2025. The study will provide valuable insight into facilities and vessel operators throughout the harbor. It will also serve as a valuable tool to attract increased grant assistance.
NYC Ferry will also launch a short-term plan to upgrade engines on its largest vessels to reduce emissions and other pollutants.
“The Staten Island Ferry is the busiest municipal ferry service in the country, and we are thrilled to reduce its carbon footprint by using a petroleum-free alternative to traditional diesel fuel,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “The transportation sector is responsible for nearly 28% of greenhouse gas emissions in our city, but that means it can also be a key part of the solution. Reducing dependence on fossil fuels offers a key step towards a greener and healthier New York City.”
Unlike biodiesel, which is limited to use in blends of 5-to-20% with regular diesel, the city said renewable diesel can be used as a full replacement of fossil diesel while still delivering the same environmental benefits as biodiesel. The transition will prevent 162 million pounds of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from entering the air every year, and it will serve as an important bridge fuel as viable electric versions of these vehicles are developed and placed into the market. DCAS expects to bid a contract for the renewable diesel in the upcoming weeks.
