Maritime Pilot will float Bronx Suds to the Seaport’s Pier 17 in test of inter-borough shipping
Pilot builds on longstanding community campaign to address trucking impacts and improve air quality in Hunts Point
Cost of Roadway congestion to NYC exceeds $2.4B annually--
THE BRONX, NY OCTOBER 20, 2022 –Hunts Point community leaders, local businesses, maritime advocates, and public officials today cheered the first maritime delivery of beer on NYC’s waterways in over a century. The pilot project, planned and executed by Oak Point Property LLC, Manhattan Beer Distributors (MBD), The Howard Hughes Corporation, Maritime Projects LLC, and Barretto Bay Strategies, with ongoing support from the NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and the Greater Hunts Point EDC, delivered MBD’s 6 pallets of beer and Brooklyn-born Q Mixers from Oak Point terminal to Pier 17 at the Seaport.
With pallets loaded on its stern, the Helen A., a New York harbor workboat, departed the Oak Point shoreline at 10:38 AM EST and reached Pier 17 at 11:38 AM. The Seaport’s operator The Howard Hughes Corporation received the shipment and distributed it to three businesses on the pier, including The Rooftop at Pier 17, NYC’s premier open-air venue hosting over 60 concerts this season.
The pilot is a crucial test of the viability of inter-borough shipping, tidal-assist propulsion, and congestion mitigation through waterborne problem-solving. One of the region’s busiest trucking hubs, the Hunts Point peninsula is criss-crossed by over 15,000 truck trips each workday. Congestion in and around Hunts Point impacts public health, safety, and the productivity of local businesses. Community advocates such as The POINT CDC and the Greater Hunts Point Economic Development Corp. have long advocated for the safe, reliable, and low-emission movement of goods to and from Hunts Point. For local businesses like Manhattan Beer and Oak Point Property, addressing congestion is also essential to sustaining local economic growth and bolstering quality of life for workers and residents alike.
Today’s test leverages Oak Point terminal’s deep-water access, proximity to wholesalers (including Manhattan Beer), and existing pier facility. The pilot will gauge the effectiveness and efficiency of waterborne solutions to middle-mile challenges while improving air quality and addressing environmental justice challenges in Hunts Point and other outer borough communities like it. To track outcomes, CCNY’s Grove School of Engineering will collect data from the pilot run and conduct a comparative analysis with truck-based delivery
“As the costs of last mile delivery become clearer to the thousands of New Yorkers who live near mammoth last mile distribution hubs, we all need to intensify our efforts change the status quo and rethink how we move goods in NYC,” said Assemblywoman Amanda Septimo. “Waterborne freight offers communities like Hunts Point the promise of cleaner air, safer streets, and new opportunities in the maritime sector.”
“Moving freight via our waterways has long been underutilized in New York City, and this exciting pilot demonstrates what the future could look like," said Andrew Kimball, President & CEO of the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC). "We look forward to continue partnering with organizations and businesses who share our commitment to pushing the boundaries of commercial transportation and rethinking last-mile delivery across the five boroughs.”
“Hunts Point was once a great port in a great port city”, observed Maria Torres, co- founder and President of The POINT CDC. “A very old technology can help us responsibly and sustainably solve our very current problems of roadway congestion and diesel emissions that have long impacted public health in Hunts Point.”
"This is a fantastic idea! Our Metro-area waterborne commercial capabilities are largely untapped for short distance uses and this is a great start,” said Don Eversley, Executive Director of the Greater Hunts Point Economic Development Corp. “With its prime water access, Hunts Point industry is well-positioned to be a forerunner in this new transport modality. We need to support leaders in our industrial area like Oak Point Property and Manhattan Beer who step forward, invest their own resources, and help us reimagine the future of freight."
“Hunts Point is a waterfront community,” observed Community Board 2 District Manager Ralph Acevedo. “How could we not look to the water to relieve congestion, clean our air, and make our businesses more productive?”
“Inter-borough shipping was one of many victims of New York City turning its back on waterways and coastlines over the last hundred-plus years. The return of beer shipments from Hunts Point in the Bronx to Manhattan is as fun as it is important – it takes trucks off the road, reducing congestion, and improving air quality where it is most needed. A hearty cheer to Oak Point Property, Manhattan Beer Distributors, the Howard Hughes Corporation for this terrific return to the waterways within a great city,” said Cortney Worrall, President and CEO of the Waterfront Alliance.
“New York City exists because of its waterways. It is so exciting to see that the waterways are again being thought of as an asset and a resource, not just for recreation and transportation, but for the all-important job of moving goods from one part of the city to another. Not only will this get trucks off the road, increase air quality, and reduce fossil fuel dependency, it’s just faster, more cost effective, and far more efficient in every way,” remarked Rocking the Boat Executive Director Adam Green.
About Oak Point Property LLC
Oak Point Property LLC is a privately owned and operated 15 acre working waterfront site near the terminus of E. 149th Street on the East River in Hunts Point. Oak Point features a 3 acre privately maintained wetlands as well as a 1⁄4 mile long greenway segment open to the public. The site offers a unique opportunity for multi-modal transportation with proximity and easy access to the water, expressway, and railways.
About Manhattan Beer Distributors (MBD)
MBD is the largest diversified distributor of beer and other beverages in the eastern United States, employs over 1,600 employees and operates over 1.5 million square feet of warehouse space, including 3 facilities in Brooklyn, Queens, and The Bronx. MBD’s fleet of 400 delivery vehicles includes 160 CNG and 5 Class 8 all-electric trucks.
About The Howard Hughes Corporation®
The Howard Hughes Corporation owns, manages, and develops commercial, residential, and mixed-use real estate throughout the U.S. Its award-winning assets include the country's preeminent portfolio of master planned communities, as well as operating properties and development opportunities including: the Seaport in New York City; Downtown Columbia®, Maryland; The Woodlands®, The Woodlands Hills®, and Bridgeland® in the Greater Houston, Texas area; Summerlin®, Las Vegas; Ward Village® in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi; and Douglas Ranch in Phoenix. The Howard Hughes Corporation's portfolio is strategically positioned to meet and accelerate development based on market demand, resulting in one of the strongest real estate platforms in the country. Dedicated to innovative placemaking, the company is recognized for its ongoing commitment to design excellence and to the cultural life of its communities. The Howard Hughes Corporation is traded on the New York Stock Exchange as HHC. For additional information, visit www.howardhughes.com.
About Greater Hunts Point Economic Development Corp.
The Greater Hunts Point Economic Development Corporation (GHPEDC) is a 33-year-old organization that seeks to improve the quality of life for Hunts Point businesses and residents through advocacy, technical assistance, and training.
About Barretto Bay Strategies
Barretto Bay Strategies is an urban solutions consulting firm based in New York, NY. Its Clean Transportation practice helps animate markets for emergent technologies and disruptive business models. For additional information, please visit www.barrettobay.com
About Maritime Projects LLC
Maritime Projects LLC provides innovative design and consulting services for waterborne endeavors. With a history dating back to 1979 using a small oil tanker in NYC repurposed as an artist's studio and salvage vessel to the latest project, an oilfield liftboat with two hydraulic cranes and 70' legs that enable it to be lifted out of the water as a stable platform for art placement and other activities. The vessel was refurbished and driven 2,600 miles offshore from Louisiana to NYC this summer.
NYC Policy Context:
Rising cost of congestion to NYC businesses estimated at $2.42B annually (NYC Partnership, 2018)
Estimated 15,000 truck trips/day through the Hunts Point Peninsula (Holguin-Veras, 2010)
Asthma emergency department visits among children ages 5 to 17 years old in Hunts Point
are nearly 2.5x higher than the NYC average (416.5 per 10,000)
Ozone (O3) count in Hunts Point in the summer of 2020 was higher than the NYC average (31.5 ppb vs. 29.8 ppb)