NY Waterway to transition 50% of fuel usage to renewable diesel

Photo: NY Waterway

NY Waterway, which operates the largest ferry fleet between New Jersey and New York, announced this month that it has completed its trial of renewable diesel fuel and is moving forward with efforts to transition a significant portion of its fuel usage to this renewable, cleaner energy source.

This initiative complements a fleetwide hybrid/electrification program that will begin conversion of NY Waterway ferries in the middle of 2025.

NY Waterway began its renewable diesel trial this past July on selected ferries and is currently on track to use 375,000 gallons over the next year—roughly 20 percent of the fleet’s fuel consumption, with a goal to increase to 50 percent usage in the near future.

Renewable diesel is fully compatible with all its ferry diesel engines, requiring no modifications.

Renewable diesel fuel, made from various fats, oils and waste products from the food and restaurant industries, performs as well as fossil diesel but with a significantly reduced environmental impact.

The U.S. EPA estimates that using renewable diesel can lower greenhouse-gas emissions by up to 78 percent per gallon.

Because it burns so much cleaner, renewable diesel also results in reduced engine maintenance, contributing to enhanced service reliability.

“We are prioritizing the conversion of our fleet and fuel in order to minimize the impact on the environment and the communities we serve, without compromising on safety, speed or reliability,” said Armand Pohan, president and CEO of NY Waterway.

“We’re fully committed to being a leader in the broader effort to make New York’s vital waterways even cleaner and greener for everyone,” Pohan added.

Earlier this month, NY Waterway’s new 15-year operating agreement with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for the Hoboken New Jersey Transit Terminal to Brookfield Ferry Service route went into effect.

Beginning Nov. 4, NY Waterway increased service on this route to every 10 minutes during peak, weekday morning and evening times.