Braen Stone, Haledon, N.J., has launched waterborne aggregate transportation operations, adding six barges to move construction materials throughout the New York and New Jersey region.
The quarry and construction materials supplier said the new operation marks the first time in its 122-year history that it has transported its products by barge. Each barge can carry up to 2,000 tons of material, compared with approximately 25 tons per truck, according to the company.
“With the addition of our barge capabilities, we can better serve our customers while addressing some of the region’s most pressing transportation challenges,” Scott Braen, president and chief operating officer of Braen Stone Companies, said in a statement. “This investment allows us to move significantly larger volumes of material more efficiently—up to 2,000 tons per barge compared to just 25 tons per truck—while reducing the number of trucks on already congested roads.”
Braen Stone said it entered the barge market in response to regional transportation constraints, including bridge restrictions, congestion pricing and traffic in and around New York City. The company is considering expanding its fleet beyond the six barges it has acquired. Each vessel was approximately one year old when purchased.
The operation is supported by the company’s Whitehall, N.Y., quarry, acquired in November 2022, and a Newark, N.J., dock acquired in November 2024. The quarry allows Braen Stone to move aggregate downriver, while the Newark facility serves as a transfer point between marine and land transportation, the company said. Conveyor systems and stevedoring operations are used to load and unload the material.
“By integrating waterway transport into our operations, we can control more of our supply chain, improve delivery timelines, and provide a higher level of service to our customers across the NY/NJ metro area,” said Will Hannema, production supervisor for Braen Stone’s Northern Quarries.
