Page 30: of Marine News Magazine (August 2019)

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MN100

Bob Kunkel

HARBOR HARVEST:

Shortsea, Environmentally

Correct Shipping Arrives

The Captain Ben Moore is the third in a series of 65- (Marad projections), a series of 2019 Marad grants saw foot aluminum catamarans built by Derecktor and pow- $6.8 million awarded for three shortsea projects. $1.8 ered by BAE Systems hybrid technology. The vessel was million went to Harbor Harvest and its newly launched built for Harbor Harvest, a Norwalk, CT, based compa- service linking Long Island with southern Connecticut ny set on changing the way fresh produce and foods are (circumventing the worsening I-95 and I-495 snarl in the transported around metro areas. The forward-thinking NYC metro area). vessel will carry goods from regional family farms across Shortsea shipping expert Bob Kunkel and his nascent

Long Island Sound, relieving traf? c congestion and reduc- Harbor Harvest operation envision collaboration with ing emissions. The vessel has a top speed of 15 knots and trucking companies to obviate the metro area highway boasts 300 square feet of open cargo space, 100 square feet bottleneck delays. Harbor Harvest bene? ts from a subtle of covered space and 140 square feet of walk-in refrigerated but important change in criteria necessary to obtain des- space. Total capacity is an impressive 12,000 pounds of ignation as a Marine Highway; services hauling pallet- cargo, equaling three to ? ve full truckloads. ized or individually packaged cargo are now eligible. This

Today, the federal government is ? nally giving the is- broadened mandate comes as transport paradigms for lo- sue more than lip service. With freight levels expected cal distribution are shifting, with greater emphasis on the to increase by more than 40% over the coming decades ‘last mile’ delivery.

August 2019 30 MN