MJB&A Collaborates to Reduce NOx Emissions from Staten Island Ferry

Johnson Matthey, a global pioneer and leader in controlling emissions from mobile and stationary sources, has been awarded a contract by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the New York City Department of Transportation to provide a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) emission control system for the John A. Noble Staten Island Ferry.

The project is part of ongoing efforts to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions in the New York City metropolitan area as an offset to the emissions associated with the harbor deepening and dredging project, which will occur over the next decade.  Johnson Matthey's highly efficient SCR system is capable of reducing NOx and CO emissions by better than 90 percent and is the most effective and proven solution for NOx reduction.  M.J. Bradley & Associates, LLC is the engineering consulting firm overseeing the project.  

The 500-ton, 196-foot John A. Noble is capable of carrying nearly 1,300 passengers and is powered by two Caterpillar 3516 diesel engines.  The ferry has operated since 1986 and was built by Derecktor Shipyards, Bridgeport, Conn., which will install the new SCR system during routine maintenance scheduled to begin May 2011 and conclude in June 2011. 

Using urea as the reducing agent, the John A. Noble SCR system includes a Johnson Matthey oxidation catalyst, SCR injection system, piping, and urea ammonia grid.  Two large urea holding tanks will be mounted on either side of the boat for better balance and the SCR system was designed to physically fit into the ferry's extremely tight quarters.  

The Staten Island Ferry makes over 35,000 trips annually and provides 20 million people a year with ferry service between St. George on Staten Island and Whitehall Street in lower Manhattan.  A typical weekday schedule involves the use of five boats to transport approximately 60,000 passengers daily (109 daily trips).  During the day, between rush hours, boats are regularly fueled and maintenance work is performed.  On weekends, three boats are used (75 trips each Saturday and 68 trips each Sunday).  

Johnson Matthey SEC is well known for its total systems approach to solving customer's emissions problems, as well as a reputation for strong customer support at the field service level.  SEC designs and supplies catalysts and engineers catalytic systems to control emissions of NOx, CO, hydrocarbons (HC), volatile organic compounds (VOC), hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), and particulate matter (PM).  SEC is dedicated to the research, development and application of catalyst technology to improve quality of life by reducing air emissions.  

M.J.  Bradley & Associates assists private industry, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies in the strategic assessment of environmental and energy policies, programs, and technologies.  They provide clients with high-quality information and services and facilitate innovative collaborations among various stakeholders.  Their team has extensive experience in energy markets, environmental policy, law, engineering, economics and business. 

For more information contact Tom Balon at (603) 647-5746 or tbalon@mjbradley.com.