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City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, along with other officials, kick off a pilot program testing the transport of consumer goods between Brooklyn and Manhattan. Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025.<\/p>\n
Photo courtesy of DOT<\/p>\n
The city Department of Transportation (DOT)<\/a> on Thursday launched a new pilot freight program that will test the movement of consumer goods between Brooklyn and Manhattan by boat rather than by truck.<\/p>\n The aquatic endeavor, part of the city\u2019s \u201cBlue Highways\u201d initiative, aims to alleviate congestion and pollution caused by such vehicles. Boats will transport products, including cosmetics, fashion, lifestyle, and small household items, between the Brooklyn Marine Terminal in Red Hook and Pier 79 in Midtown Manhattan, according to DOT.<\/p>\n In partnership with DOT and the city\u2019s Economic Development Corporation, the shipping company DutchX will begin the pilot by moving 300 to 400 parcels per day through the pier. After arriving at the port in Manhattan, the goods will then be transported on pedal-assist electric bikes for last-mile deliveries to locations throughout Midtown, the agency said.<\/p>\n During a Dec. 11 press conference kicking off the trial run, DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said moving goods via the city\u2019s waterways instead of its roads will help reduce traffic and carbon emissions from trucks.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery day, nearly 90% of the goods that come into our city travel by truck,\u201d Rodriguez said. \u201cThis creates congestion, pollution, and wear and tear on our streets.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \u201cToday we begin shifting to a 21st Century freight system, one where the middle mile moves by water and the last mile moves by sustainable modes, like cargo bikes,\u201d he added. \u201cThis is how we get trucks off our streets and cleaner air into our lungs.\u201d<\/p>\n The pilot programs comes after the DOT and the EDC jointly released their \u201cBlue Highways Action Plan\u201d<\/a> in October. The report outlined several steps for boosting maritime freight transport throughout the five boroughs.<\/p>\n It includes steps such as identifying at least 25 \u201copportunity sites\u201d that can be used for moving freight around the city, including old piers, ferry landings, or container terminals. It also calls for forming a \u201cBlue Highways Advisory Council\u201d early next year.<\/p>\n \u201cBy shifting freight from our crowded streets onto our underutilized waterways, we\u2019re not just delivering packages, we\u2019re delivering a cleaner, safer, and more efficient future for all New Yorkers,\u201d said Anton Fredriksson, the EDC\u2019s senior vice president and head of ports, waterfront, and transportation.<\/p>\n Thursday\u2019s pilot launch also follows the EDC\u2019s announcement earlier this fall<\/a> that it is embarking on a massive redevelopment of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal, which has fallen into disrepair over the years, so the site can serve as the city\u2019s central hub for maritime freight. The plan will see the dilapidated facility turned into a modern all-electric hub.<\/p>\n