Four DC Fast Chargers to Streamline Experience for Electric Truck Operators, Encourage Further Electric Truck Adoption

Charging Station Joins Multitude of Seaport Sustainability Initiatives as Port Authority Charges Ahead on Industry-Leading Net-Zero Goals

Photos of the Seaport’s New Charging Station are Available Here

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey today announced the opening of a new electric truck charging station at Port Newark, a key step in advancing zero-emission drayage trucking operations. Designed to encourage more drivers to switch to electric trucks, the charging station supports cleaner, more sustainable freight movement while advancing the Port Authority’s ambitious environmental goals.

The four direct current fast chargers are located at Port Newark’s truck welcome center at Marlin and Kellogg streets. Drivers are able to give their trucks an opportunity to charge at the station, topping off their vehicles before returning to their primary charging location. They complement a multitude of other sustainability initiatives at the seaport as the Port Authority looks to enable and entice all links in the supply chain, including ocean carriers, container terminals, and trucking companies to incorporate greener operations.

“What gets taken off these ships and loaded onto these trucks is ultimately what ends up in our closets, in our refrigerators, and in our garages,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “It’s our duty to make sure every element of the critical work at the Port of New York and New Jersey is operating as efficiently and sustainably as possible. These chargers are an important piece of that puzzle as we usher in a more sustainable future for the thousands of trucks serving the East Coast’s busiest port every day.”

“Our promise to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 reaches beyond the Port Authority itself to our operational partners,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. “We want to add charging infrastructure wherever possible, from the East Coast’s busiest port to our airports and at Port Authority facilities across the region to help every facet of our transportation ecosystem become more environmentally friendly.”

“We enjoy an unparalleled level of cooperation and collaboration among the many entities that operate at the Port of New York and New Jersey, and the installation of this charging station strengthens that reputation further,” said Bethann Rooney, port director at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. “With these new chargers, we’re promising drayage operators that if they invest in electric trucks, we can help get them where they need to go.”

The charging station features four 350-kilowatt direct current (DC) fast chargers and offers compatibility with most widely available commercial electric truck models. Drayage truck operations typically involve trucks moving shipping containers short distances, such as from a container terminal to an area warehouse. A 10–15-minute opportunity charge could offer an additional 20-40 miles of range, depending on the load and driving conditions, allowing truckers to minimize downtime and complete more trips during the workday.

As of the seaport’s latest air emissions inventory, drayage truck operations represent approximately 48 percent of port-wide greenhouse gas emissions, by far the largest share. Convenient access to charging infrastructure within the Port Newark complex of the East Coast’s largest and busiest seaport may further entice drivers to switch to electric trucks as they become more widely available.

The installation involved extensive site preparation and infrastructure work. This included overhauling the underground electrical system in the area in partnership with PSE&G, as well as elevating the station’s platform to mitigate flood risk. Additionally, nearby restrooms for truck drivers at Building 272 were recently renovated with refreshed paint, tiles and fixtures, as well as energy-efficient LED lighting.

The chargers will be available for use from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily initially due to the ongoing Port Street Corridor Improvement Project, which is routing additional traffic through the area during the current phase of that project. The station will be closed during peak hours to ensure smooth traffic flow entering and exiting the port complex. Hours will be expanded to around-the-clock availability in late 2025. Charging cost is $0.45/kilowatt per hour plus tax. A $1 per minute idling fee may be enacted based on site utilization.

The new charging station offers another component to the Port Authority’s wide-ranging, ambitious sustainability agenda at the Port of New York and New Jersey, which is currently the nation’s busiest cargo gateway. Through its comprehensive net-zero roadmap, the Port Authority has committed to reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, and to facilitating its tenants and stakeholders in achieving the same goal in the same timeframe. At the seaport, those efforts have included:

• The Truck Replacement Program, offering financial incentives to truck companies to replace older, dirtier engine models with newer, cleaner models
• The Clean Vessel Incentive, using financial incentives to ocean carriers that voluntarily slow steam near the port to reduce air emissions and encourage fuel conservation
• The agency’s marine terminal rules and regulations, which requires terminal operators to transition to zero-emission cargo handling equipment as the equipment becomes commercially available, intended to foster market demand and spur industry innovation
• The buildout of the seaport’s on-dock ExpressRail system, enabling goods to reach the Midwest, New England, and eastern Canada more sustainably than via truck

The port’s tenants have additionally undertaken significant sustainability measures and projects, including Port Newark Container Terminal’s recently completed solar installation. The Port Authority reported significant progress toward its emissions goals in the seaport’s latest air emissions inventory, including a reduction in sulfur dioxide by 98 percent, as well as reductions in nitrogen oxide and particulate matter by over 70 percent from baseline 2006 levels while cargo volume increased nearly 60 percent.

The Port Newark charging station joins a host of other efforts aimed at enabling zero-emission vehicles and equipment across Port Authority facilities including the seaport, of which Port Newark is a major component of the overall bistate port complex. The agency, in conjunction with Revel, recently doubled EV charging capacity at John F. Kennedy International Airport with the opening of a new charging station. Additionally, new fast charging hubs are slated to open to the public at LaGuardia Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport later this year, providing convenient charging to for-hire vehicle drivers and other airport users. Airside, infrastructure is quickly getting built out to support the ongoing transition to airport electric ground service equipment, including baggage tugs and airplane tow tractors. The agency is leading by example by aggressively working to electrify its own vehicle fleet. By the end of 2025, 58 percent of the agency’s non-emergency response light duty fleet will be electrified, with a goal of 100 percent by 2028.

The seaport’s fast charging hub also complements a suite of efforts aimed at streamlining and improving the driver experience for truckers who serve the port, including upgrades to public restrooms, improvements to roadway paving and striping, new wayfinding and navigation signage, and improved feedback between drayage truck drivers and port staff. Additionally, the Port Street Corridor Improvement Project, currently underway, is overhauling and modernizing one of the port complex’s main interchanges to enable safer, more efficient operations for the thousands of trucks visiting the complex daily.

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