The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) and CALSTART have launched two incentive programmes worth a combined $45 million to support the electrification of drayage and terminal operations.

The programmes will provide funding for zero-emission drayage trucks, terminal tractors and the charging infrastructure required to operate them at the Port of New York and New Jersey.

CALSTART will design and administer both initiatives from autumn 2026. The Clean Truck Incentive Programme will offer up to $39 million in point-of-sale vouchers for zero-emission drayage trucks, yard tractors and supporting charging equipment.

Under the separate $5 million Green Drayage Accelerator Programme, funding will be awarded for up to five electric truck charging hubs. Eligible sites must be within 10 miles of PANYNJ seaport or marine terminal facilities.

Alycia Gilde, CALSTART Executive Vice President of California and Regional Market Acceleration, said: “Deploying zero-emission trucks at scale requires pairing accessible vehicle incentives with reliable, high-capacity charging.

“By combining flexible financial support with streamlined program administration, our partnership with the Port Authority lowers the barrier to entry for drayage operators, modernizing the East Coast supply chain while delivering immediate, tangible air quality improvements to local port communities.”

CALSTART will also develop dynamic tracking dashboards for both programmes. The systems will monitor vehicle deployment and performance, together with charger use across port operations, before being transferred to PANYNJ in 2028.

The two organisations plan to brief the trucking community through in-person and online presentations, supported by information materials, over the coming weeks.

Funding comes from a $451 million grant awarded to PANYNJ through the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Ports Programme. PANYNJ described it as the largest sustainability grant in its history.

The wider grant will also support electric cargo-handling equipment at marine terminals and shoreside power infrastructure, allowing container ships to connect to the electricity supply while berthed and switch off their auxiliary engines.

A separate $3 million EPA planning grant will fund a Port Community Advisory Council. Subrecipients of the overall award will also be able to pursue workforce training and job creation linked to clean energy.

PANYNJ has set a target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and is seeking to help tenants, contractors and operating partners meet the same deadline.

Its 2024 air emissions inventory recorded a 98 per cent reduction in sulphur dioxide and reductions of more than 83 per cent in nitrogen oxide and particulate matter against 2006 levels. Cargo volumes increased by nearly 71 per cent over the same period.