Majority of New York Waterway Ferries Back in Service

The U.S. Coast Guard has allowed all but five of 23 New York Waterway ferries to return to service.

The ferries had been initially suspended for a series of safety concerns in the week leading up to the Thanksgiving Holiday. In order to ensure continued compliance with safety standards, the Coast Guard will be indefinitely increasing inspections, scheduled and unannounced, across the entire New York Waterway fleet. 

Coast Guard Sector New York marine inspectors determined the impacted ferries had damage or discrepancies significant enough to warrant suspension of operations. Findings included inoperable fixed fire extinguishing systems and bilge alarms, expired lifesaving equipment and structural damage affecting watertight integrity. 

Coast Guard Sector New York oversees approximately 200 ferries operating within the greater New York City area. The region’s multiple ferry systems carry tens of millions of passengers annually, making it one of the busiest ferry networks in the world.