New York City Pilots Sustainable Delivery Model Combining Waterways and Electric Vehicles
News related to:Blue Highways & Rescued Food Demo · 2 min read
NEW YORK, Oct. 12, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- In a pioneering effort to reduce emissions and congestion in New York City, a consortium of organizations has successfully piloted a new delivery model that combines maritime transportation with electric cargo vehicles. The project, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and led by Empire Clean Cities, aims to provide a cleaner and more cost-effective alternative to traditional truck delivery.
On October 7, 2026, Sharing Excess, a national non-profit distributor of surplus food, participated in the latest demonstration. The organization moved rescued produce from the Hunts Point Food Distribution Center to a food pantry in Manhattan's Greenwich Village. The journey began with the food traveling by water aboard U.S. Coastal Service's Blue Highway 1 to the E. 34th Street ferry terminal. From there, the cases of palletized produce were transferred to two Fulpra pedal-assist quad bikes, one of which featured battery electric refrigeration, for the final leg of the delivery.
An earlier demonstration on September 18 involved City Harvest, New York City's largest food rescue organization. City Harvest moved over 4,000 pounds of food and beverage from Hunts Point to the Brooklyn Marine Terminal on the U.S. Coastal vessel. Both demonstrations utilized Con Agg Global's transloading facility and cargo-handling equipment at its port on the campus of the Fulton Fish Market, which was inaugurated in 2025 and is expected to eliminate roughly 1,000 truck trips per month from the South Bronx once fully operational.
The project, which also includes the Fulton Fish Market Cooperative and Blue Ribbon Fish Co., uses U.S. Coastal Service's Blue Highway 1, which operates on renewable diesel, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 70%. For the last mile, the Fulpra Quatro, an electric cargo vehicle with an 800-plus-pound payload capacity, is used. The Quatro features a battery electric refrigeration system, offering continuous 9-hour cooling.
Project partners, including Barretto Bay Strategies and Freight Matters, are assisting U.S. Coastal Service and the project team in launching a regular weekly delivery service. The demonstrations align with the Blue Highways initiative led by the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), which supports expanded use of New York City's waterways for freight movement. The approach also supports the goals of Mayor Mamdani's Vision Zero Reimagined plan, which calls for shifting freight toward safer and more sustainable transportation modes.
Empire Clean Cities, the project lead, emphasizes the potential of the model to meet the real-world needs of businesses and organizations while reducing truck miles on congested streets and cutting transportation emissions.
The initiative is seen as a competitive, reliable alternative that can complement existing van and truck networks rather than replace them entirely.
Con Agg, the port operator, is proud to partner with City Harvest, Sharing Excess, Blue Ribbon Fish, and U.S. Coastal Service to inaugurate maritime freight service from Hunts Point to Red Hook and Manhattan.
The project demonstrates how New York City's waterways can complement the truck network and strengthen freight mobility. Reducing pressure on roads while keeping businesses supplied makes the supply chain more resilient. As the program grows, it is expected to deliver more high-quality food that would otherwise go to waste into the hands of New Yorkers who need it.