NYC Begins Moving Freight Through Waterways as Part of Its Historic Blue Highways Pilot Program

Photo Courtesy of NYCEDC

City Activates Manhattan’s Pier 79 as First Location to Receive Small Commercial Freight Deliveries by Boat through Pilot Program

Goods, Including Cosmetics, Fashion, and Household Items Will be Transferred from NY Waterway Ferry Vessel to DutchX Electric Cargo Bikes for Local Delivery

Pilot Program will Shift Freight from Roadways to Waterways, Easing Truck Congestion, Pollution

The activation of a marine freight pilot between Manhattan’s Pier 79 and the Brooklyn Marine Terminal (BMT) as part of New York City’s Blue Highways program was announced. Blue Highways activates the city’s waterways for local and regional movement of goods—improving quality of life for New Yorkers by reducing congestion on roadways, adding resiliency to the city’s supply chain, and tapping into New York’s roots as a port city. This effort builds on the recent passage of the historic Vision Plan approved by the BMT Task Force in September to transform the site into a modern, 21st century all electric maritime port and vibrant, mixed-use community. NYCDOT is working to develop similar freight models for three other piers in coordination with NYCEDC. With nearly 90 percent of goods moving into and through the city by truck, the City of New York ‘s Blue Highways program is part of NYC DOT ‘s efforts to reimagine freight delivery in New York City, restructure freight distribution, and create a sustainable last-mile delivery system for getting goods where they need to go.

The route launched runs from Atlantic Basin in Red Hook to Pier 79. The pilot route was tested extensively by NY Waterway and DutchX. DutchX will begin transporting 300 to 400 parcels per day from a ferry onto five electric pedal-assist cargo bikes—with operations to gradually increase as the program progresses. The goods transported include cosmetics, fashion, lifestyle, and small household products. They will be delivered from Pier 79 to a Manhattan service area spanning from 23rd Street to 70th Street. The city will monitor the success of this pilot route, and gather data on frequency, capacity, and vehicle miles traveled (VMT) reduction. NYC DOT is working to develop similar freight models for three other piers: Pier 11, 34th Street Pier, and the Battery Maritime Building in coordination with NYCEDC.

Beginning in 2021, the city conducted a series of test-runs with landings in Weehawken, Manhattan’s West Side, Red Hook, Manhattan’s East Side, Bayonne, and Hunts Point. The announcement follows the success of a proof-of-concept seasonal pilot between Red Hook and Governor’s Island run by Empire Clean Cities.

About Blue Highways

With freight volumes projected to grow by 46 percent through 2055, congestion and emissions from truck traffic pose increasing challenges to New York City’s quality of life and infrastructure. Each day, more than 44,000 trucks cross critical chokepoints like the George Washington and Verrazano Bridges, leading to congestion and delays costing the city an estimated $20 billion annually in lost productivity, increased maintenance, and environmental impacts.

Blue Highways proposes a strategic shift: moving a significant portion of freight deliveries off crowded streets and onto the city’s navigable waterways, taking advantage of its 520 miles of waterfront with last mile microdelivery by commercial cargo bike. By leveraging publicly controlled waterfront assets, partnering with private industry, and investing in supportive infrastructure for last mile microdeliveries, the initiative aims to reduce congestion, pollution, and roadway wear—while catalyzing economic growth and job creation.

During this administration, progress on the Blue Highways program has accelerated rapidly. In the past two years, more tangible steps to advance maritime freight have been taken than in the previous two decades, including the creation of pilot routes using existing City assets, and NYCEDC’s announcement of a new Hunts Point Marine Terminal, a micro-freight facility at Downtown Skyport, as well as the recently approved and historic Brooklyn Marine Terminal(BMT) redevelopment project, which will transform BMT into a fully electric, modern maritime port and vibrant mixed-use community. Additionally, NYC DOT and NYCEDC’s Blue Highways Action Plan, released in October 2025, is a comprehensive report that lays out a clear agenda to build on these recent successes to revive short sea shipping and maritime freight movement throughout New York City waterways:

• Comprehensive analysis of the three service lines of the Blue Highways program—microfreight, containerized freight, and bulk freight—as well as the vessels and infrastructure required to operationalize them.
• Mapping and assessment of 25+ Blue Highways “opportunity sites” for activation, ranging from old piers to ferry landings to container terminals, matching site characteristics to potential services.
• Tangible maritime infrastructure projects for short-term, medium-term, and long-term activation.
• Engagement with industry partners such as DutchX, U.S. Coastal Service, and Sixth Borough Marine, who are investing in new vessels, logistics hubs, and innovative delivery models.
• Creation of a Blue Highways Advisory Council in early 2026, ensuring continued dialogue and collaboration between public and private stakeholders.

Efforts like the DutchX and NY Waterway pilot also capitalizes on numerous freight reform efforts undertaken by the NYC DOT, including:

• Curb Management Action Plan: Demand for curb space in New York City—from trash collection and bike lanes to truck loading and parking—is increasing and NYC DOT is responding to address these new demands. ‘Smart Curbs,’ ‘Microhubs’ and the broader Curb Management Action Plan, released in September 2023, are efforts to address the dynamic community needs of today while better preparing the city’s streets for the future. These efforts build on the core tenets of the ‘New’ New York panel’s action plan, which identified public space as a key force for the city ‘s economic recovery. As part of the Curb Management Action Plan, NYC DOT launched the ‘Smart Curbs’ program on the Upper West Side in 2024 to implement and evaluates new treatments and regulations to improve safety, reduce congestion, create vibrant and clean public spaces, support orderly local deliveries, and more.
• Cargo Bike Rulemaking: In March 2024, the agency authorized the use of e-cargo bikes on city streets to make deliveries safer and more sustainable. Since the inception of the cargo bike pilot program, the use of commercial cargo bikes for deliveries has grown at least seven-fold with an expectation for continued expansion with the City’s support.
• Off-Hour Delivery Program: In August 2024, NYC DOT launched applications for its Off-Hour Deliveries (OHD) incentive program to encourage goods delivery during the off-peak hours of 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. in efforts to decrease congestion, double parking, and truck emissions. One-time monetary reimbursements will help businesses make the switch to off-peak deliveries. For more information visit nyc.gov/ohd.
• Microhubs: In April of this year, NYC DOT also launched the first pilot locations for the ‘Microhubs’ program that established safe, dedicated spaces for truck operators to transfer deliveries onto safer and more sustainable modes of transportation for the last leg of delivery, including e-cargo bikes, handcarts, and smaller electric sprinter vans.
• LockerNYC: In September 2025, the agency expanded its secure public delivery locker pilot to reduce truck traffic and cut down package theft, adding six new Go Locker locations as part of the LockerNYC program.

About NYCEDC
New York City Economic Development Corporation is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization that works for a vibrant, inclusive, and globally competitive economy for all New Yorkers. We take a comprehensive approach, through four main strategies: strengthen confidence in NYC as a great place to do business; grow innovative sectors with a focus on equity; build neighborhoods as places to live, learn, work, and play; and deliver sustainable infrastructure for communities and the city’s future economy. To learn more about what we do, visit us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

About NYC DOT 
The New York City Department of Transportation’s (NYC DOT) mission is to provide for the safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible movement of people and goods in the City of New York and to maintain and enhance the transportation infrastructure crucial to the economic vitality and quality of life of our primary customers, City residents. NYC DOT’s staff manage an annual operating budget of $1.4 billion and a ten-year $33 billion capital program, along with 6,300 miles of streets and highways, over 12,000 miles of sidewalk, and approximately 800 bridges and tunnels, including the iconic East River bridges. The agency operates the Staten Island Ferry, serving 16 million annual riders, and coordinates new maritime freight routes as part of the Blue Highways program with NYCEDC. NYC DOT’s staff also installs and maintains nearly one million street signs, 13,250 signalized intersections, over 315,000 street lights, and over 350 million linear feet of markings.

About DutchX
DutchX is the leading zero-emission carrier in the U.S., providing same day and next day shipping that elevates the customer experience. Trusted by some of the largest global e-commerce brands and retailers, DutchX is powered by a 100% electric fleet, W-2 delivery workforce, advanced sortation capabilities, urban hubs, and proprietary technology. DutchX continues to set new benchmarks for innovative, sustainable, and performance-driven urban shipping.

About NY Waterway
Founded by Arthur Imperatore, Sr. in 1986, NY Waterway operates the nation’s largest privately-owned commuter ferry service. Prior to the pandemic shutdown, NY Waterway carried more than 32,000 passengers each weekday on 23 routes across the Hudson River, bringing New Jersey commuters to Manhattan and back. On dozens of occasions, NY Waterway ferries have provided emergency service when public transit systems are disrupted. On 9/11, NY Waterway ferries evacuated more than 150,000 people from Manhattan, part of the largest maritime evacuation in history. In August 2003, when a massive blackout shut down all Hudson River crossings, NY Waterway carried 160,000 people home to New Jersey. Ferry crews have also rescued more than 300 people from New York waters, most notably the 143 people rescued from US Airways Flight 1549, the Miracle on the Hudson in 2009, the most successful marine rescue in aviation history. Get updates at 1-800-53-FERRY (7am – 11am Monday – Friday), nywaterway.com, facebook.com/nywaterway or x.com/ridetheferry.