PANYNJ approves construction of GCT Bayonne ship-to-rail facility

GCT Bayonne

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) Board of Commissioners approved construction of GCT Bayonne ship-to-rail facility – a project that completes the agency's $600 million initiative to provide all of its major marine terminals with direct access to rail.

Under a lease supplement with GCT USA, the terminal operator agreed to complete the final design and build the new ExpressRail Port Jersey facility in Greenville Yard. In return, PANYNJ will reimburse GCT up to $56 million to cover the costs of construction of the facility. The project, as with other ExpressRail projects in the harbor, is contingent on continued funding provided by the Cargo Facility Charge, a per-container fee assessed on cargo shipped through PANYNJ to cover the costs of critical road, rail and security infrastructure projects.

Once the ExpressRail facility opens in 2018, GCT will be responsible for the ongoing operation and maintenance of the facility, which is expected to reduce truck traffic and result in significant environmental benefits for the region.

The port’s ExpressRail facilities, combined with other environmental programs instituted in the port, have resulted in an average 33 percent reduction across all port related pollutant emissions, despite a seven percent increase in port cargo over the same period between 2006 and 2013.

“Given the highly-competitive nature of the port business, it’s critical that we invest in projects that will allow for the efficient, more environmentally sustainable movement of freight and goods throughout the region,” said PANYNJ Chairman John Degnan. “The project will allow us to maintain our competitive edge and cement our position as the East Coast’s premier destination for international cargo.”

During the lifetime of the ExpressRail Port Jersey facility, it is expected to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 415 tons and particulate matter emissions by 108 tons, which is the equivalent to taking more than 45,300 cars off the road. The facility also will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 331,161 tons, which equates to the carbon emissions from 30,215 homes.

Cargo coming on and off ships at GCT Bayonne today is transported to and from its final destination by truck or by truck to another ExpressRail facility. The new facility will allow for the transloading of containerized cargo from ship to rail, offering ocean carriers and their customers a more efficient and environmentally-friendly option for goods movement. The facility will have an initial capacity of at least 125,000 container lifts a year.