New York City tests renewable diesel in ferries

Photo: New York City Department of Transportation

New York City officials announced Oct. 21 that the Staten Island Ferry and NYC Ferry will begin testing the use of renewable diesel, which will help nearly 30 million annual riders navigate the city’s waterways in a more sustainable way. 

NYC Ferry will also launch a short-term plan to upgrade engines on its largest vessels to reduce emissions and other pollutants.

Use of the fuel in select Staten Island Ferries and NYC Ferry vessels builds on the city’s recent announcement that 100 percent of the city’s 12,500 heavy-duty and off-road vehicles have completed the transition to renewable diesel, making New York City the first major East Coast city to implement this green technology at such a large scale.

“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 Ydanis Rodriguez, New York City’s transportation commissioner. “The transportation sector is responsible for nearly 28 percent 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.”

Louis Molina, commissioner of the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, said, “Expanding renewable diesel to the Staten Island Ferry and piloting it with NYC Ferries marks a significant step in our efforts to make our fleet more environmentally friendly for the benefit of all New Yorkers. This groundbreaking initiative not only cuts greenhouse-gas emissions by using renewable resources but also aligns with our larger vision for a greener municipal fleet. We’re proud to work alongside our sister agencies as we chart a new course for the city and transition to cleaner sources of power.”

Staten Island Ferry transition

The city’s transportation department is now testing the use of renewable diesel on the Marchi Staten Island Ferry boat.

The renewable fuel serves as a direct replacement to ultra-low sulfur diesel currently used in the ferry fleet.

The agency plans to expand renewable diesel to the full Staten Island Ferry fleet in 2025.

With an estimated 60 percent reduction in the Staten Island Ferry’s CO2 emissions, this move is critical to achieving a 50 percent reduction in these emissions by 2030.

The Staten Island Ferry is the busiest municipal ferry service in the country, with approximately 45,000 passengers on an average weekday, carrying nearly 24 million passengers each year.

It operates 24/7 between Staten Island and Lower Manhattan.

Staten Island Ferry emissions represent 15 percent of municipal government transportation emissions and emissions from fuel use for ferry vessels represent 94 percent of the Staten Island Ferry system’s greenhouse-gas emissions.

NYC Ferry pilot, vessel upgrades

The New York City Economic Development Corporation and NYC Ferry will launch a six-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, NYCEDC and NYC Ferry will begin the process of upgrading 13 350-passenger vessels, the system’s largest vessels, to meet U.S. 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 percent.

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 and 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.

The NYC Ferry system provides more than 7 million riders annually with transit across the five boroughs.

With six routes that touch every borough, 25 landings and 38 vessels, the system spans 70 nautical miles and has the largest passenger-only fleet in the nation.

NYC Ferry has further proven to be among New York City’s most resilient transit network with the fastest ridership recovery of any city transit system since the pandemic.

In September 2023, New York became the first city to begin transitioning to renewable diesel on the East Coast of the United States.

Since the start of the transition in September 2023, renewable diesel has replaced more than 12 million gallons of fossil diesel, and already has been used to power the city’s fleet of garbage trucks, ambulances, work trucks, emergency generators and more.

The city’s supply of renewable diesel has been sourced mostly (98 percent) from waste animal fats and used cooking oil.

“By utilizing proven resources like renewable diesel today, New York City is taking immediate action to reduce emissions,” said Donnell Rehagen, CEO of Clean Fuels Alliance America. “Transitioning 100 percent of the municipal fleet to renewable fuels was a remarkable achievement. Now, with renewable diesel powering the iconic Staten Island Ferries, New York City is charting a course to a cleaner future for all.”