144-673: The Staten Island Ferry is a fare-free passenger ferry route operated by the New York City Department of Transportation . The ferry's single route runs 5.2 miles (8.4 km) through New York Harbor between the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Staten Island , with ferry boats completing the trip in about 25 minutes. The ferry operates 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, with boats leaving every 15 to 20 minutes during peak hours and every 30 minutes at other times. Apart from NYC Ferry 's St. George route , it
288-696: A capital cost much lower than bridges or tunnels . Ship connections of much larger distances (such as over long distances in water bodies like the Mediterranean Sea ) may also be called ferry services, and many carry vehicles. The profession of the ferryman is embodied in Greek mythology in Charon , the boatman who transported souls across the River Styx to the Underworld . Speculation that
432-603: A Guy in 10 Days (2003), and Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017). Many other films and TV episodes use the Staten Island Ferry in establishing shots . In the past, ferries were equipped for vehicle transport, and operators charged $ 3 per automobile . A vehicle ban was approved in 1992, after the Whitehall Terminal was destroyed and subsequently rebuilt without vehicle loading areas. Although the temporary terminals included car loading areas, car boarding
576-433: A car ferry still departs from each harbor every 15 minutes during daytime. The route is around 2.2 nautical miles (4.1 km; 2.5 mi) and the crossing takes 22 minutes. Today, all ferries on this route are constructed so that they do not need to turn around in the harbors. This also means that the ferries lack stems and sterns, since the vessels sail in both directions. Starboard and port-side are dynamic, depending on
720-456: A competing ferry service called the New York and Staten Island Steam Ferry. Afterwards, Vanderbilt tried to operate a ferry service between Manhattan and Staten Island that would rival Law's ferry service. Vanderbilt started construction on his plan for a central dock on the island, but he abandoned the scheme after a storm destroyed the timber work. Only the large stone foundation remained; this
864-559: A day. The Midtown ferry proved successful until the city essentially eliminated the competing Whitehall Street route's fare in July 1997, as part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)'s "one-city, one-fare" transfer scheme: Staten Island transit riders could pay a single $ 1.50 fare with a MetroCard on a Staten Island bus or train and get a free transfer to a Manhattan bus or subway by taking
1008-655: A draft of 9 feet (2.7 meters). It was capable of travelling up to 6 knots with the side wheel turned by its 450-horsepower, single-cylinder, two-cycle steam engine. Launched in 1872, Suhulet's unique features consisted of a symmetrical entry and exit for horse carriages, along with a dual system of hatchways. The ferry operated on the Üsküdar-Kabataş route, which is still serviced by modern ferries today. In Hong Kong , Star Ferry carries passengers across Victoria Harbour . Other carriers ferry travelers between Hong Kong Island and outlying islands like Cheung Chau , Lantau Island and Lamma Island . The Malaysian state of Penang
1152-488: A fire occurred at St. George, killing three people and destroying the slips for the Whitehall ferry route. The only ferry slips that had not been damaged in the fire were those used by the 39th Street ferry. Because the Whitehall route had more ridership, the 39th Street ferry service was suspended so that Whitehall ferries could stop at St. George. The suspension of ferry service was supposed to be temporary; but when service
1296-500: A keel. An account of the construction and use of the periauger was described by Englishman John Lawson (1674?–1711) an explorer, naturalist and writer, on his travels in 1701 in what is today, South Carolina . The account was published in his diaries in 1709. The next day we entered Santee river's mouth, . . . As we row'd up the river, we found the land towards the mouth, and for about sixteen miles up it, scarce any thing but swamp and percoarson, affording vast ciprus-trees, of which
1440-590: A more efficient steam-powered ferryboat compared to the two 2-cylinder compound steam engines of earlier models. With the lowest bid for the three boats coming in at $ 6.44 million, the Merrell class was more expensive than the Mary Murray class before it, which had cost only $ 1 million a boat. The Merrell class would quickly become outdated with the introduction of a subsequent class whose diesel engines were even more powerful. Around this time, ferry services in
1584-910: A network of smaller ferries, or water taxis , that shuttle commuters along the Hudson River from locations in New Jersey and Northern Manhattan down to the midtown, downtown and Wall Street business centers. Several ferry companies also offer service linking midtown and lower Manhattan with locations in the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn , crossing the city's East River . New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced in February 2015 that city would begin an expanded Citywide Ferry Service, and launched as NYC Ferry in 2017, linking heretofore relatively isolated communities such as Manhattan 's Lower East Side , Soundview in The Bronx , Astoria and
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#17327647031371728-591: A number which may be higher due to the prevalence of unregistered vessels. In 2014, the launch Pinak 6 sank in the Padma River with more than 200 passengers aboard near Munshiganj's Louhajang Upazila . Due to the geographical features of Russia, it has a large number of both sea and river ferry crossings. Car ferries operate from the continental part of Russia to Sakhalin, Kamchatka and Japan. The Ust-Luga – Kaliningrad ferry also runs, until February 2022 ferries also ran from St. Petersburg to different cities of
1872-501: A pair of oxen propelled a ship having a water wheel can be found in 4th century Roman literature " Anonymus De Rebus Bellicis ". Though impractical, there is no reason why it could not work and such a ferry, modified by using horses, was used in Lake Champlain in 19th-century America. See Experiment (horse powered boat) . In 1850 the roll-on roll-off (ro-ro) ferry, Leviathan designed to carry freight wagons efficiently across
2016-643: A subway or bus in Manhattan after riding the ferry. The Staten Island Ferry originated in 1817 when the Richmond Turnpike Company started a steamboat service from Manhattan to Staten Island. Cornelius Vanderbilt bought the Richmond Turnpike Company in 1838, and it was merged with two competitors in 1853. The combined company was in turn sold to the Staten Island Railroad Company in 1864. The Staten Island Ferry
2160-463: A two-year contract extension, on the condition that the contract could be canceled with 30 days' notice. In return, the city could purchase the B&;O's ownership share in the terminals and the five existing ships from B&O, namely Westfield II , Middletown , Southfield II , Robert Garrett , and Castleton , for a set price. A new St. George Terminal was built by the city for $ 2,318,720, replacing
2304-433: Is SeaBus . Canada's east coast has been home to numerous inter- and intra-provincial ferry and coastal services, including a large network operated by the federal government under CN Marine and later Marine Atlantic . Private and publicly owned ferry operations in eastern Canada include Marine Atlantic, serving the island of Newfoundland , as well as Bay , NFL , CTMA , Coastal Transport , and STQ . Canadian waters in
2448-631: Is a part of the larger Sagar Mala project . Water transport in Mumbai consists of ferries, hovercraft, and catamarans, operated by various government agencies as well as private entities. The Kerala State Water Transport Department (SWTD), operating under the Ministry of Transport, Government of Kerala , India regulates the inland navigation systems in the Indian state of Kerala and provides inland water transport facilities. It stands for catering to
2592-589: Is a shallow draft, often flat-bottomed two- masted sailing vessel , often without a bowsprit , which also carried oars for rowing. Periaugers of varying sizes and designs were used extensively in the inland waterways of the eastern seaboard of the United States during the 18th to early 19th century. The periauger was the type of sailing vessel used by Cornelius Vanderbilt to ply the waters of New York Harbor between Staten Island and lower Manhattan when he began his ferry service. Periaugers were
2736-635: Is administered separately from NYC Ferry. The ferry to Staten Island departs Manhattan from the Staten Island Ferry Whitehall Terminal at South Ferry , at the southernmost tip of Manhattan near the Battery , and follows a single route. On Staten Island, ferryboats to Manhattan depart from the St. George Ferry Terminal on Richmond Terrace, near Richmond County's Borough Hall and Supreme Court. The ferry ride affords views of
2880-1058: Is also operated from Woods Hole to Oak Bluffs during the summer and fall. As there are no bridges or tunnels connecting the islands to the mainland, The Steamship Authority ferries in addition to being the only method for transporting private cars to or from the islands, also ferry heavy freight and supplies, such as construction materials and fuel, competing with tug and barge companies. Additionally, Hy-Line Cruises operates high-speed catamaran service from Hyannis to both islands, and several smaller operations run seasonal passenger-only service primarily geared towards tourist day-trippers from other mainland ports, including New Bedford , (New Bedford Fast Ferry) Falmouth , (Island Queen ferry and Falmouth Ferry) and Harwich (Freedom Cruise Line). Ferries also bring riders and vehicles across Long Island Sound to such Connecticut cities as Bridgeport and New London , and to Block Island in Rhode Island from points on Long Island . Transbay commuting in
3024-665: Is essential in the region. The state operates twelve routes, eight of which are under the oversight of the North Carolina Department of Transportation Ferry Division , three of which are under the direct oversight of the North Carolina Department of Transportation , and one of which is under the oversight of the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation . Three of the Ferry Division routes are tolled, and all ferry routes operated by
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#17327647031373168-729: Is hand powered. Due to the numbers of large freshwater lakes and length of shoreline in Canada, various provinces and territories have ferry services. BC Ferries operates the third largest ferry service in the world which carries travellers between Vancouver Island and the British Columbia mainland on the country's west coast. This ferry service operates to other islands including the Gulf Islands and Haida Gwaii . In 2015, BC Ferries carried more than 8 million vehicles and 20 million passengers. In Vancouver there
3312-837: Is home to the oldest ferry service in the country. This service, now called Rapid Ferry , connects the Raja Tun Uda Ferry Terminal at Weld Quay in George Town on Penang Island with the Sultan Abdul Halim Ferry Terminal in Butterworth on Peninsular Malaysia . It has also become a tourist attraction among foreigners. In the Philippines , the Philippine Nautical Highway System forms
3456-417: Is made possible by two ferry lines Shepler's Ferry and Mackinac Island Ferry Company (formerly Star Line) . A ferry service runs between Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Muskegon, Michigan operated by Lake Express . Another ferry SS Badger operates between Manitowoc, Wisconsin and Ludington, Michigan . Both cross Lake Michigan . Numerous additional inland ferry routes exist in the United States, such as
3600-512: Is no alternative crossing of the river. The busiest seaway in the world, the English Channel , connects Great Britain and mainland Europe, with ships sailing from the UK ports of Dover , Newhaven , Poole, Portsmouth and Plymouth to French ports, such as Calais , Dunkirk , Dieppe , Roscoff , Cherbourg-Octeville , Caen , St Malo and Le Havre . The busiest ferry route to France is
3744-466: Is the kosha, a small, highly manoeuvrable boat that is easy to operate. These various traditional wooden boats play a vital role in providing transportation during the rainy season when other modes become impractical due to flooding. The ferries are often overloaded and continue to operate in poor weather; many people die each year in ferry and launch accidents. From 2005 to 2015, nearly 1,800 casualties have been reported due to river transport incidents,
3888-596: Is the Algiers Ferry, which has been in continuous operation since 1827 and is one of the oldest operating ferries in North America. In New England, vehicle-carrying ferry services between mainland Cape Cod and the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket are operated by The Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority , which sails year-round between Woods Hole and Vineyard Haven as well as Hyannis and Nantucket . Seasonal service
4032-541: Is the San Francisco ferry system, which will receive $ 11.5 million to improve the connection between Treasure Island and Mission Bay. In Maine, the ferry system will be upgraded in Lincolnville and Islesboro. Additionally, Alaska will receive a significant $ 106.4 million grant to replace a 60-year-old vessel operating in the southwest. This vessel is a crucial connector for the region. These grants are part of
4176-732: Is the only direct mass-transit connection between the two boroughs. Historically, the Staten Island Ferry has charged a relatively low fare compared to other modes of transit in the area; and since 1997, the route has been fare-free. The Staten Island Ferry is one of several ferry systems in the New York City area and is operated separately from systems like NYC Ferry and NY Waterway . The Staten Island Ferry route terminates at Whitehall Terminal , on Whitehall Street in Lower Manhattan , and at St. George Terminal , in St. George, Staten Island . At Whitehall, connections are available to
4320-471: The Times , Herald , Tribune , and World . Among those injured was Antonio Meucci , an Italian immigrant who was developing the first telephone at the time; he was so poor that his wife sold his lab and telephone prototype to buy $ 6 worth of medications. Jacob Vanderbilt was arrested for murder, though he escaped conviction. This had an adverse effect on the railroad's finances; and on March 28, 1872,
4464-504: The Baltic Sea between Finland , Åland , Sweden , Estonia , Latvia and Saint Petersburg , Russia . In many ways, these ferries are like cruise ships , but they can also carry hundreds of cars on car decks. Besides providing passenger and car transport across the sea, Baltic Sea cruise-ferries are a popular tourist destination unto themselves, with multiple restaurants, nightclubs, bars, shops and entertainment on board. Helsinki
Staten Island Ferry - Misplaced Pages Continue
4608-473: The Canary Islands , but were recently replaced by faster catamaran "high speed" ferries that can carry cars. Their replacement by the larger craft is seen by critics as a retrograde step given that the new vessels use much more fuel and foster the inappropriate use of cars in islands already suffering from the impact of mass tourism. Periauger A periauger or perogue (/pɪˈroʊg, ˈpiroʊg/)
4752-768: The Cave-In-Rock Ferry across the Ohio River, and the Benton-Houston Ferry across the Tennessee River. The FTA announced in September 2024 that it would award $ 300 million in grants to modernize ferry systems in the United States. These grants will support 18 projects across 14 states, emphasizing upgrading environmentally friendly propulsion systems. Eight of the 18 projects will receive funding for this purpose. One notable project
4896-532: The Civil War in the early 1860s. The combined company, the Staten Island and New York Ferry Company, ran services from Whitehall Street to Tompkinsville, Stapleton, and Clifton. It originally ran single-ended boats but eventually expanded its fleet to include double-ended boats. The Staten Island and New York Ferry's vessel Hunchback was built in 1852, becoming the first double-decked boat to operate in
5040-576: The Downtown Jersey City skyline, the Lower Manhattan skyline, Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island , Ellis Island , Governors Island and the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge . As such it is a popular destination on Saturday nights. The backdrop of the Staten Island Ferry's route also makes it a popular place for film shoots, and the ferry has been featured in various films, such as Working Girl (1988), How to Lose
5184-796: The Great Lakes once hosted numerous ferry services, but these have been reduced to those offered by Owen Sound Transportation and several smaller operations. There are also several commuter passenger ferry services operated in major cities, such as Metro Transit in Halifax , and Toronto Island ferries in Toronto. There is also the Société des traversiers du Québec . Due to the North Carolina coast's geography, consisting of numerous sounds, inlets, tidal arms, and islands, ferry transportation
5328-472: The Gulf of Alaska . AMHS provides affordable access to many small communities with no road connection or airport. The Staten Island Ferry in New York City , sailing between the boroughs of Manhattan and Staten Island , is the nation's single busiest ferry route by passenger volume. Unlike riders on many other ferry services, Staten Island Ferry passengers do not pay any fare to ride it. New York City also has
5472-729: The Jersey City Terminal to the Liberty Street Ferry Terminal in Manhattan; and the latter was not close to any elevated rail stations in the area. With this acquisition, the B&O could start operating ferries to the Whitehall Street terminal , where there was a direct transfer to an elevated station . Two 225-foot (69 m) steel-hulled ferryboats were built during this time and delivered in 1888. These boats were Erastus Wiman (renamed Castleton in 1894) and Robert Garrett . They were
5616-741: The National Park Service . Until the completion of the Mackinac Bridge in the 1950s, ferries were used for vehicle transportation between the Lower and the Upper Peninsulas of Michigan , across the Straits of Mackinac in the United States. Ferry service for bicycles and passengers continues across the straits for transport to Mackinac Island , where motorized vehicles are almost completely prohibited. This crossing
5760-640: The New York City Subway and several local New York City Bus routes. At St. George, there are transfers to the Staten Island Railway and to the St. George Bus Terminal's many bus routes. Using MetroCard fare cards, passengers from Manhattan can exit a subway or bus on Whitehall Street, take the ferry for free, and have a free second transfer to a train or bus at St. George. Conversely, passengers from Staten Island can freely transfer to
5904-535: The North Island with Picton in the South Island , linking New Zealand's two main islands. The route is 92 kilometres (57 mi), and is run by two companies – government-owned Interislander , and independent Bluebridge , who say the trip takes three and half hours. Ferry designs depend on the length of the route, the passenger or vehicle capacity required, speed requirements and the water conditions
Staten Island Ferry - Misplaced Pages Continue
6048-623: The P&;O Pioneer , which entered service in June 2023 replacing Pride of Kent. Hydrofoils have the advantage of higher cruising speeds, succeeding hovercraft on some English Channel routes where the ferries now compete against the Eurotunnel and Eurostar trains that use the Channel Tunnel . Passenger-only hydrofoils also proved a practical, fast and relatively economical solution in
6192-568: The Panic of 1893 ; and two years later, much of his property was auctioned to pay off debts. In 1893, the B&O commenced plans to divert some CNJ ferries from Jersey City to Whitehall Street, with the latter ordering Easton and Mauch Chunk ferries for the Whitehall Street service. The boats started running in 1897. As part of a general improvement, the B&O also started building a new ferry terminal at St. George in 1895. In 1899,
6336-565: The Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) and the New York Central Railroad (NYCRR) formed a partnership in which they were to buy smaller freight railroad companies. PRR president Alexander Cassatt had devised the plan because he thought that two large freight-shipping companies, Standard Oil and Carnegie Steel , were artificially depressing freight-shipping rates by cajoling smaller companies for rebates. Among
6480-560: The San Francisco Bay Area was primarily ferry-based until the advent of automobiles in the 1940s, and most bridges in the area were built to supplant ferry services. By the 1970s, ferries were primarily used by tourists with Golden Gate Ferry , an organization under the ownership of the same governing body as the Golden Gate Bridge , left as the sole commute operator. The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake prompted
6624-490: The Seikan Tunnel and Honshū–Shikoku Bridge Project ) have been constructed, the ferry transportation has recently become for short-distance sightseeing passengers with or without car, and for long-distance truck drivers hauling goods. The country's extensive river network makes ferries a practical and affordable mode of transport. Passenger ferries, locally referred to as "launches," are widely used to travel to
6768-581: The Union Ferry Company of Brooklyn . Three new boats were then commissioned for the 39th Street route. Named Gowanus , Bay Ridge , and Nassau , they were smaller than the borough-class boats. Bay Ridge was the first to arrive, in July 1907, followed by Gowanus in August, and Bay Ridge in September. A second route from St. George to Brooklyn started operating on July 4, 1912. The privately operated Brooklyn & Richmond Ferry Company operated
6912-656: The West End subway line , the Brooklyn ferry now primarily served industrial interests in Sunset Park. Mayor George McClellan , elected as Low's successor in 1903, and Docks Commissioner Maurice Featherson were initially skeptical of the acquisition; but despite their objections, the Sinking Funds Commission approved the private line's acquisition in 1905. The route started with three ferryboats from
7056-487: The spread of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic to New York City . During the pandemic, concession stands aboard each vessel were closed. A longer-term nighttime service cut was announced the next month; the service reduction would remain in effect through at least June 2021, saving $ 6 million. Full-time service was restored in August 2021. The New York City Department of Transportation and the New York City Economic Development Corporation announced plans in January 2024 to reopen
7200-442: The B&O borrowed the paddle-wheeler John Englis from the Williamsburg Ferry Company . On February 21, 1902, two hundred people held discussions with MacDougal Hawkes, the head of the New York City Department of Docks , to demand that the Whitehall-to-St. George ferry service be improved. In summer 1902, as the B&O fought to retain its ownership of the ferry, Henry Huttleston Rogers demonstrated that his steam-powered yacht
7344-432: The B&O ferryboat Northfield II as the latter was leaving the ferry port at Whitehall, tearing a 10-by-20-foot (3.0 by 6.1 m) hole through the middle of Northfield . Damaged beyond repair, Northfield II sank within ten minutes, ending up near the modern South Street Seaport . Out of 995 passengers aboard, only four or five were killed. The dead were not recovered for several days, and one man's body drifted around
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#17327647031377488-463: The Baltic Sea has several routes mainly for heavy traffic and cars. The ferry routes of Rødby - Puttgarden , Trelleborg - Rostock , Trelleborg - Travemünde , Trelleborg - Świnoujście , Gedser - Rostock , Gdynia - Karlskrona , and Ystad - Świnoujście are all typical transports ferries. On the longer of these routes, simple cabins are available. Some of these routes previously also carried trains, but since 2020 these trains are instead routed around
7632-406: The Baltic Sea. Before the construction of the Kerch Bridge, there was a ferry across the Kerch Strait, whose service was resumed after the Kerch bridge explosion . There are also more than 100 ferry crossings on different rivers in Russia. These are usually symmetrical through ferries with two ramps for quick entry and exit of cars. For some categories of car owners, these ferries may be free if there
7776-468: The Baltic via the Great Belt fixed link and Jutland . In Istanbul , ferries connect the European and Asian shores of Bosphorus , as well as Princes' Islands and nearby coastal towns. In 2014, İDO transported 47 million passengers, the largest ferry system in the world. The largest ferry system in Italy is in Venice , the city best known for its extensive canals. Called Water Taxis ( Italian : Veniza Taxi ), they provide service all around
7920-417: The Battery at Manhattan's tip. He competed against other boatmen providing service in the harbor, who called him "Commodore" because of his youthful eagerness; although the nickname was intended to be jocular, it applied to him for the rest of his life. The War of 1812 meant restricted access to New York Harbor from elsewhere along the East Coast . During the war, Vanderbilt profited from carrying cargo along
8064-409: The Brooklyn & Richmond Ferry Company asked the city to stop its municipal operation to 39th Street, so the 69th Street ferry could carry all Staten Island-to-Brooklyn traffic, thus enabling them to lower rates. The city refused. After the end of World War II in 1945, the city wanted to reconstruct St. George Terminal, which would in turn improve ferry service to Whitehall Street. On June 25, 1946,
8208-417: The Brooklyn & Richmond Ferry Company to cease all operations after finding that one of its 40-year-old boats was in a severely deteriorated condition. The Bay Ridge operation was subsequently taken over by the Electric Ferries company on March 1, 1939. Electric Ferries, which also operated other routes in the area, bought three secondhand ferryboats from other companies to supplement seven new boats. In 1940,
8352-411: The Dover to Calais crossing with approximately 9,168,000 passengers using the service in 2018. Ferries from Great Britain also sail to Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Ireland. Some ferries carry mainly tourist traffic, but most also carry freight, and some are exclusively for the use of freight lorries. In Britain, car-carrying ferries are sometimes referred to as RORO (roll-on, roll-off) for
8496-560: The FTA's efforts to improve ferry transportation in the United States and promote sustainable transportation options. Mexico has ferry services run by Baja Ferries that connect La Paz located on the Baja California Peninsula with Mazatlán and Topolobampo . Passenger ferries also run from Playa del Carmen to the island of Cozumel . There are several ferries in South America. Chacao Channel has ferry lines. In Australia, two Spirit of Tasmania ferries carry passengers and vehicles 450 kilometres (280 mi) across Bass Strait ,
8640-428: The Firth of Forth in Scotland started to operate between Granton, near Edinburgh, and Burntisland in Fife. The vessel design was highly innovative and the ability to move freight in great quantities and with minimal labour signalled the way ahead for sea-borne transport, converting the ro-ro ferry from an experimental and marginal ship type into one of central importance in the transport of goods and passengers. In 1871,
8784-441: The French make canoes, that will carry fifty or sixty barrels. After the tree is moulded and dug, they saw them in two pieces and so put a plank between, and even a small Keel , to preserve them from the Oyster-Banks, which are innumerable in the Creeks and Bays betwixt the French settlement and Charles-Town. They carry two masts and Bermudas sails , which makes them very handy and fit for their purpose; . . . . Of these great trees
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#17327647031378928-418: The Hudson River, and he bought extra boats with these profits. After the war, he transported cargo in the harbor, earning even more money and buying more boats. Around the same time, U.S. Vice President Daniel D. Tompkins secured a charter for the Richmond Turnpike Company as part of his efforts to develop the village of Tompkinsville , which would become Staten Island's first European settlement. The company
9072-426: The Midtown route, and it was eliminated on July 31, 1998. Despite requests from local officials to restore the ferry service, a route from Staten Island to Midtown Manhattan did not run again until August 23, 2021, when NYC Ferry 's St. George route began operations. Immediately after the September 11, 2001, attacks , Staten Island ferryboats were used to evacuate attack victims from the World Trade Center . The line
9216-399: The North Carolina Department of Transportation carry both vehicles and pedestrians, although certain vessels only carry pedestrians and cyclists. The National Park Service additionally works with private companies to offer ferry service to locations such as Cape Lookout and Portsmouth . Washington State Ferries operates the most extensive ferry system in the continental United States and
9360-417: The PRR's acquisitions was the B&O, which in turn owned the Staten Island Railway and Ferry. Cassatt started buying B&O stock in 1899 and owned much of the B&O stock two years later. By the 1900s, Staten Islanders were becoming dissatisfied with the railway-operated ferry service to Manhattan, which they felt was unsafe. The turning point came on June 14, 1901, when the CNJ ferry Mauch Chunk struck
9504-479: The Rockaways in Queens and such Brooklyn neighborhoods as Bay Ridge , Sunset Park , and Red Hook with existing ferry landings in Lower Manhattan and Midtown Manhattan . A second expansion phase connected Staten Island to the West Side of Manhattan, and added a stop in Throgs Neck, in the Bronx. NYC Ferry is now the largest passenger fleet in the United States. The New Orleans area also has many ferries that carry both vehicles and pedestrians. Most notable
9648-407: The St. George ferry landing, which opened in March 1886. On April 3, 1883, the Staten Island Rapid Transit Railroad Company gained control of the SIR and its boats. A new boat, Southfield II , was delivered that year. The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (B&O) obtained control of the Staten Island Railway Ferry Company's operations the next year. A controlling interest in the Railway Ferry Company
9792-403: The St. George–Whitehall ferry at no additional cost, with return trips handled similarly. As a result, daily ridership on the $ 5-per-ticket Midtown ferry decreased to 400 passengers, and New York Fast Ferry was unable to make a profit on the route. New York Fast Ferry went out of business at the end of 1997, at which point NY Waterway took over the route. NY Waterway also failed to break even on
9936-421: The Sunset Park route. It was not as efficient as the borough-class boats (see § Former ), so it was relegated to supplementary service. Another vessel in the fleet, Castleton , was sold to a private owner in 1915; its classmate, Robert Garrett (renamed Stapleton in 1906) would remain in city ownership until 1922. Mayor Mitchel's successor, John Francis Hylan , commissioned a series of new boats after he
10080-461: The Tompkinsville and West Brighton terminals. The two groups submitted their proposals in November 1902; and by February 1903, the Sinking Fund Commission announced their decision to give B&O the operating license. This decision proved controversial: Hawkes made a recommendation to Mayor Seth Low on February 21, and dissatisfied Staten Islanders showed up to the commission's meeting on February 25. These residents, voicing their dissent, helped cause
10224-443: The U.S. shortly after completion; the vessel was then redocumented, and by 1868 it had been destroyed. The Staten Island Railway (SIR) opened in stages in 1860. It was necessary to have a direct connection between the new railroad trains and the infrequent ferries to and from Manhattan, but this turned out to be difficult during the beginning of operation. The ferries serving Vanderbilt's Landing were owned by George Law, who operated
10368-613: The area then known as Lenapehoking , which included present-day Staten Island , Manhattan , and New Jersey . The area would first be colonized as part of Dutch New Netherland in 1624. New Netherland became the British Province of New York in 1664, and the British province finally became part of the United States in 1776. During the 18th century, the City of New York occupied only the southern tip of Manhattan, and Staten Island
10512-467: The area were being discontinued and replaced by bridges and tunnels, leading to the eventual demise of the 69th Street ferry. The exception was the direct ferry from Manhattan to Staten Island, which was not expected to see a significant decrease in ridership because it provided the only direct link between the two boroughs. Electric Ferries' franchise for the Bay Ridge ferry expired on March 31, 1954; and
10656-789: The backbone of the nationwide transport system by integrating ports with highway systems; the system has three main routes. Another known ferry service is the Pasig River Ferry Service , which is the only water-based transportation in Metro Manila . This system cruises the Pasig River . India's ro-ro ferry service between Ghogha and Dahej was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 22 October 2017. It aims to connect South Gujarat and Saurashtra currently separated by 360 kilometres (220 mi) of roadway to 31 kilometres (19 mi) of ferry service. It
10800-577: The blockade against the Confederate Army during the Civil War. Of the four boats, only Hunchback survived; after the war, it was redocumented and bought by someone in Boston; it was abandoned by 1880. Due to the loss of these boats, another three boats— Westfield II , Northfield , and Middletown —were obtained in 1862–1863. A fourth boat, Clifton II , was also built, but it was purchased by
10944-399: The boats was replaced by a maroon scheme, which was better at hiding the accumulations of grime on the boats' exteriors. In March 1924, New York City Plant and Structures Commissioner Grover A. Whalen suggested that the infrequent 69th Street service be placed under city administration, a request that ultimately went unfulfilled, as the Brooklyn & Richmond Ferry would continue to operate
11088-617: The body of water that separates Tasmania from the Australian mainland, often under turbulent sea conditions. These run overnight but also include day crossings in peak time. Both ferries are based in the northern Tasmanian port city of Devonport and sail to Geelong . Before Geelong this ferry used to sail to Melbourne . The double-ended Freshwater-class ferry cuts an iconic shape as it makes its way up and down Sydney Harbour New South Wales , Australia between Manly and Circular Quay . In New Zealand, ferries connect Wellington in
11232-416: The building. A $ 3 million renovation of the terminal was announced in 1953, and it opened on July 24, 1956. The old terminal burned down in a fire on September 8, 1991. A new design was announced the next year, and a temporary terminal was opened at the site to accommodate passengers in the meantime. On February 7, 2005, a completely renovated and modernized terminal, designed by architect Frederic Schwartz ,
11376-520: The building. The ground entrance was reserved exclusively for bicyclists until September 2017, when lower-level boarding and disembarking was restored for all passengers. Cyclists are subject to screening upon arrival at the ferry terminals and must dismount and walk their bicycles to the waiting area and onto the boat. Bicycles must be stored in the designated bicycle storage area on each boat. During rush hours, ferries usually depart every 15 to 20 minutes, with frequency decreasing to every 30 minutes during
11520-621: The city again proposed eliminating night service, with plans to outsource nighttime operations to other ferry companies in the area. However, night and weekend service was increased in 2004 due to growing ridership. Before the 2004 increase in night service, boats only ran once an hour between midnight and 7 a.m. The ferry had not added more trips during nights and weekends, even though Staten Island's population had increased since 1990. Ridership continued to increase; and in November 2006, additional ferries, running every 30 minutes, were provided during
11664-547: The city contracted the 69th Street ferry's operation to Henry Shanks in order to keep that ferry running. The 69th Street ferry ceased operation in 1964, due to the opening of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge a short distance south of its route. At the time of the 69th Street ferry's discontinuation, it was being used by 7,000 passengers daily, who paid five cents each, and 8,000 vehicles daily, which were charged 75 cents apiece. Each boat could fit between 500 and 750 passengers but only 42 vehicles, which meant for traffic jams at both of
11808-464: The city took ownership of the five B&O ships. The ferry service from St. George to 39th Street in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, became city-operated on November 1, 1906, as provided for by the 1903 law transferring ownership of that route to the city. Its Brooklyn terminus was located near the Brooklyn, Bath and West End Railroad's former 39th Street terminal, but as that railroad had been converted into
11952-526: The city's canals . They can comfortably carry up to 10 people, and can take individuals from the airport to their hotel. There are several companies that offer this service, including Vaporetto and Alilaguna. They operate on a series of lines that stop at different locations around Venice. The world's shortest ferry line is the Ferry Lina in Töreboda , Sweden . It takes around 20–25 seconds and
12096-582: The commissioners to reject Hawkes's proposal. Shortly after, the government of New York City announced its intent to acquire ownership of the ferry. Instead of offering the franchise to either the B&O or Rogers, the Sinking Fund Commission decided, in March 1903, that the city could run two ferry routes from Staten Island. One route would travel to Manhattan, terminating at any North River port between 23rd Street and Battery Park , while
12240-458: The company's original charter expired in 1844, Vanderbilt transferred the former company's leases and titles to himself and the company's other chief officer, Oroondates Mauran . This was done in their capacity as private citizens rather than as chief officers. When Mauran died in 1848, his share of the company was purchased by Vanderbilt. By the mid-18th century, there were three separate ferry companies offering services between lower Manhattan and
12384-465: The company's stocks were placed in a trust at the Fulton Bank in lower Manhattan. Under an act passed in 1824, the bank was to be incorporated under two conditions: it had to acquire the Richmond Turnpike Company's stock, and it would cease operations in 1844. Vanderbilt, who had grown wealthy in the steamboat business in New York waters, bought control of the Richmond Turnpike Company in 1838. After
12528-412: The concession stands on each ferryboat, and they began looking for concessionaires that month. The Staten Island Ferry operates 24/7 . A new ferry trip begins every 30 minutes most hours of the day and night, with more frequent service during peak times, and takes 25 minutes to complete the 5.2-mile (8.4 km) route. The ferry carried 23.9 million passengers in fiscal year 2016. The Staten Island Ferry
12672-499: The country, especially during the rainy season. These boats transport over 1.2 million tonnes of freight annually. Among these are the dingi , which is the oldest form of Bengal boat. Larger cargo boats includes vessels such as the balam , bajra and sampan . Under the category of bainkata (flat-bottomed) boats are the ghasi , gachari , dorakha , kathami , mallar , patam and panshi , among others. Ubiquitous throughout Bangladesh, especially in monsoon flood-prone regions,
12816-840: The craft must deal with. Double-ended ferries have interchangeable bows and sterns, allowing them to shuttle back and forth between two terminals without having to turn around. Well-known double-ended ferry systems include the BC Ferries , the Staten Island Ferry , Washington State Ferries , Star Ferry , several ferries on the North Carolina Ferry System , and the Lake Champlain Transportation Company . Most Norwegian fjord and coastal ferries are double-ended vessels. All ferries from southern Prince Edward Island to
12960-416: The current Austen class , were ordered specifically for off-peak and night voyages. These boats entered service in 1986. By the late 1980s, ferries had again become a popular mode of transport in the area. In 1991, seventy companies expressed interest in bidding for the rights to operate new ferries across the city. This list of potential bidders was reduced to three companies by 1993. One of these ferries
13104-411: The direction the ferry sails. Despite the short crossing, the ferries are equipped with restaurants (on three out of four ferries), cafeterias, and kiosks. Passengers without cars often make a double or triple return journey in the restaurants; for this, a single journey ticket is sufficient. Passenger and bicycle passenger tickets are inexpensive compared with longer routes. Large cruiseferries sail in
13248-488: The docking of these vessels, and oversees 380 launch terminals. There are 53 roll-on/roll-off ferries running on seven routes across the country: Paturia–Daulatdia, Aricha–Kazirhat, Shimulia–Banglabazar, Bhola–Lakshmipur, Lajarhat–Veduria, Char Kalipur–Kalipur Bazar and Harinaghat Chandpur–Shariatpur. More than 800,000 small and medium wooden sailboats and rowboats , often retrofitted to be motorised, are an important means of transportation for people and goods across
13392-405: The ease by which vehicles can board and leave. The busiest single ferry route in terms of the number of departures is across the northern part of Øresund , between Helsingborg , Scania , Sweden and Elsinore , Denmark . Before the Øresund bridge was opened in July 2000, car and "car and train" ferries departed up to seven times every hour (every 8.5 minutes). This has since been reduced, but
13536-477: The eastern shore of Staten Island. The Tompkins and Staples Ferry , operated by Vice President Tompkins's son Minthorne, ran from a pier at the Tompkinsville end of the highway to Whitehall Street in lower Manhattan. The New York and Staten Island Steam Ferry Company , or "People's Ferry", was operated by George Law and ran from Stapleton, Staten Island , to Liberty Street, Manhattan . The third ferry
13680-570: The existing terminal. All of the ships except for Richmond were finished by April 1905 and delivered during the late summer and early fall of that year. Richmond was ready by May 20; and as it had been built in Port Richmond, there was no need to transport the boat. On October 25, 1905, the Department of Docks and Ferries assumed ownership of the ferry and terminals; and the borough ferryboats started their maiden voyages. The next year,
13824-471: The ferry routes to Whitehall Street and 39th Street each received one class of three new boats. The boats in the Dongan Hills class were delivered from 1929 to 1931 for the 39th Street route, and the boats in the Mary Murray class were delivered from 1937 to 1938 for the Whitehall Street route. The classes' engines and dimensions were similar, but each class's exterior appearance was very different from
13968-416: The ferry was banned in 2003, and passengers were no longer allowed to board from the lower level of either terminal. Passengers had to board and depart from different sections of the ferry; each terminal's lower level was used by departing passengers, which required boarding passengers to use the upper level. This made boarding the ferry inconvenient for park-and-ride users at the St. George Terminal. In 2002,
14112-419: The ferry's slips, due to the boats' low capacity. However, the route between St. George and Whitehall was kept open, since the bridge's opening was expected to spur an influx of residents to Staten Island, with a potential increase in commute ridership on the ferry to Manhattan. By 1967, all other ferries in New York City had closed due to competition from automobile traffic, and the St. George-to-Whitehall route
14256-480: The first boats of the Staten Island Railway Ferry fleet to be powered by multi-cylinder inclined steam engines, which pumped steam more efficiently than the single-cylinder vertical engines on previous boats. Garrett resigned from his position at the B&O in 1887, and his successors did not show as much interest in Staten Island transit operations. Wiman lost significant amounts of money in
14400-554: The five boroughs. The city began soliciting tenders for ferryboats, ultimately deciding to pay $ 1.7 million for four of the five boats from the Maryland Steel Company . The contract was signed on June 20, 1904. The fifth boat, Richmond , was built on Staten Island by the Burlee Dry Dock Company. From 1902 to 1903, there were debates on where to put the new Whitehall terminal; and Whitehall Street
14544-524: The harbor. To accommodate growing ridership, three double-ended boats— Southfield I , Westfield I , and Clifton I —were purchased for the ferry between 1857 and 1861. Westfield and Clifton were purchased by the Union Army in September 1861, almost immediately after they had been delivered. The army also purchased Hunchback and Southfield in December of that year. The Union used the ships to man
14688-526: The island to help develop it. He incorporated the Staten Island Rapid Transit Railroad Company on March 25, 1880; and the incorporation of the company was formalized on April 14, 1880. Two years later, Wiman applied to build a ferry dock in Manhattan in order to serve his new ferry routes. Wiman also proposed combining the six to eight separate ferry operations so as to use just one Staten Island terminal. This became
14832-529: The lack of other transit connections between Staten Island and the other boroughs. The ferry is also popular among tourists and visitors due to the free-of-charge views of the New York Harbor a trip provides. The ferry has been featured in several films. Before the New York City area was colonized by Europeans, the indigenous Lenape Native Americans used boats to traverse waterways—including present-day Arthur Kill , Kill Van Kull , and Raritan Bay —of
14976-637: The mainland of Canada were double-ended. This service was discontinued upon completion of the Confederation Bridge . Some ferries in Sydney, Australia and British Columbia are also double-ended. In 2008, BC Ferries launched the first of the Coastal-class ferries , which at the time were the world's largest double enders. These were surpassed as the world's largest double-enders when P&O Ferries launched their first double-ender, called
15120-569: The mid-days and evenings. Ferries run at 30-minute intervals for a few hours during the early morning—usually 12 a.m. to 6 a.m.—and on weekends. There have been at least two terminals on the site of the current Whitehall Terminal. When the original terminal opened in 1903, its Beaux-Arts design was identical to the Battery Maritime Building , which still exists. In 1919, a fire at the South Ferry elevated station damaged
15264-552: The other route would go from Staten Island to 39th Street, near Bush Terminal , in Sunset Park, Brooklyn . The bill authorizing the city to acquire ferry operations was passed by the 126th New York State Legislature , and it was signed into law by Governor Benjamin B. Odell in May 1903. The city would pay $ 3.2 million to take over operations of the ferry, including $ 2 million for five new screw-propelled ships , one named for each of
15408-482: The other. The Brooklyn & Richmond Ferry Company found it increasingly difficult to maintain its aging fleet, especially with the competition from the 39th Street ferry's new, problem-free ferryboats. This resulted in infrequent service on the Bay Ridge ferry to 69th Street, which lead to a decline in patronage and fare revenues. In February 1939, the United States Department of Commerce ordered
15552-573: The passenger and cargo traffic needs of the inhabitants of the waterlogged areas of the Districts of Alappuzha , Kottayam , Kollam , Ernakulam , Kannur and Kasargode . SWTD ferry service is also one of the most affordable modes to enjoy the beauty of the scenic Kerala backwaters . Japan used to rely heavily on ferries for passenger and goods transportation among the four main islands of Hokkaido , Honshu , Shikoku and Kyushu . However, as highway and railway bridges and undersea tunnels (such as
15696-403: The pereaugers and canoes are scoop'd and made; which sort of vessels are chiefly to pass over the rivers, creeks, and bays; and to transport goods and lumber from one river to another. Some are so large as to carry thirty barrels, tho' of one entire piece of timber. Others that are split down the bottom, and a piece added thereto, will carry eighty, or an hundred. Several have gone out our inlets on
15840-418: The railroad (George Law, Cornelius Vanderbilt, and Erastus Wiman) to replace the various ferry sites on the north and east shores of Staten Island. St. George was selected due to its being the point where Staten Island is closest to Manhattan, approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) away. The terminal and local neighborhood were renamed "St. George" in honor of Law, allegedly as a concession by Wiman in order to build
15984-404: The railroad and the ferries under the same company. The railway assumed the Staten Island and New York Ferry Company's operations in 1865. On July 30, 1871, Westfield II was damaged when its boiler exploded while sitting in its slip at South Ferry in Manhattan. Within days of the disaster, between 45 and 91 had died, and from 78 to 208 listed as injured, although figures varied widely between
16128-460: The railway and the ferry went into receivership . On September 17, 1872, the property of the company was sold to George Law in foreclosure, with the exception of the ferryboat Westfield II , which was purchased by Horace Theall. Erastus Wiman , a Canadian entrepreneur, planned to develop Staten Island by adding transit. Wiman had become one of Staten Island's most notable figures since moving to New York in 1867, and he had built an amusement area on
16272-456: The restoration of service to the East Bay . The modern ferry network is primarily under the authority of San Francisco Bay Ferry , connecting with cities as far as Vallejo . Tourist excursions are also offered by Blue & Gold Fleet and Red & White Fleet . A ferry serves Angel Island (which also accepts private craft). Alcatraz is served exclusively by ferry service administered by
16416-525: The route to Manhattan. By 1967, the Staten Island-to-Manhattan ferry was the only commuter ferry within the entire city. A fast ferry route from Staten Island to Midtown Manhattan ran briefly from 1997 to 1998; proposals to revive the route resurfaced in the 2010s. With 15,728,600 riders in 2023, the Staten Island Ferry is the busiest ferry route in the United States and the world's busiest passenger-only ferry system, thanks largely to
16560-399: The route until 1939. However, in June 1924, the route to 39th Street was taken over by New York Bay Ferry. By the end of that summer, the three ferry routes were advertised as the most convenient way to get to Staten Island until a tunnel between Staten Island and Brooklyn could be completed, although the tunnel never was finished because its construction was halted a year later. In the 1930s,
16704-418: The same time, Hylan also ordered three more boats for the 39th Street route, and he ordered 11 boats for other city-operated routes. This brought the number of boats ordered by Hylan's administration to 16. After Hylan's electoral defeat by Jimmy Walker in 1925, George W. Loft and William Randolph Hearst were respectively renamed to West Brighton and Whitehall II . In April 1926, the white paint scheme of
16848-578: The second largest in the world by vehicles carried, with ten routes on Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca serving terminals in Washington and Vancouver Island. In 2016, Washington State Ferries carried 10.5 million vehicles and 24.2 million riders in total. The Alaska Marine Highway System provides service between Bellingham, Washington, and various towns and villages throughout Southeast and Southwest Alaska, including crossings of
16992-522: The service to 69th Street in Bay Ridge . New York City started operating a line from Battery Park to Stapleton in May 1909. This service ran every 90 minutes between 4 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily. It was discontinued at the end of 1913, due to low ridership. Staten Islanders protested against the city's discontinuance of the Stapleton ferry, to no avail. Mayor McClellan's successor, William Jay Gaynor ,
17136-630: The short monopoly on steamboat operations that had been held by the Fulton Ferry , which had connected Manhattan and Brooklyn since it began operation in 1814. Since the steamboats provided much faster means of transportation across the harbor, Vanderbilt sold all his ships to his father in 1818. He subsequently started working for Thomas Gibbons, a small-steamboat operator, operating steamboat lines for Gibbons in New Jersey before later operating his own lines in New York. When Tompkins died in 1825,
17280-534: The southern and south-western regions of Bangladesh from the capital. The most popular destinations include Barisal , Bhola , Patuakhali , and Khulna . Additionally, there are water-transport routes connecting Dhaka with Kolkata in India. Approximately 200 launches operate across 107 water routes throughout the country as of 2022 . To support the launch services, the BIWTA has developed 292 wharfs ( ghats ) for
17424-464: The southern tip of Manhattan and across the Hudson River. An investigation into the crash found that Northfield II had sunk because of the extent of the damage rather than because of its 38-year age. Despite this, neither captain was criminally charged, although Mauch Chunk 's captain was "censured" for speeding as well as for not helping the passengers aboard Northfield . In the meantime,
17568-553: The terminal and connecting tunnel on land owned by Law. The ferry terminal was opened in early 1886. Ferry A ferry is a boat that transports passengers, and occasionally vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A small passenger ferry with multiple stops, like those in Venice , Italy , is sometimes referred to as a water taxi or water bus . Ferries form a part of the public transport systems of many waterside cities and islands, allowing direct transit between points at
17712-441: The two Staten Island ferry routes was intended to be temporary, until private operators could be found, but it never happened. These were the only two routes the city operated at the time, but the city continued to award privately operated ferry franchises elsewhere. The ferryboat Mayor Gaynor was delivered in 1914, during Mitchel's administration, to boost service on the Whitehall route, although it had originally been intended for
17856-569: The vessel of choice in the Hudson River. They were used as ferries, and to transport goods to and from the harbor of New York and the towns along the river until the first third of the 19th century. Replaced by steam boats, they all but vanished. The Dutch designs of the mid-Atlantic states, as opposed to the Southern dugout designs known as pirogues in Louisiana bayou country, were usually lapstrake construction, often using leeboards in lieu of
18000-528: The weekend morning hours. In 2015, weekend-morning and late-night frequencies were increased to every thirty minutes. The lower levels of each terminal were reopened in 2017 to reduce crowding on the ships' upper levels. The St. George Terminal's lower level was opened during the morning rush, and the Whitehall Terminal's lower level was opened during middays and the evening rush. During March 2020, service frequencies were temporarily decreased to once-hourly service due to an 86% decrease in ridership levels following
18144-633: The world's first car ferry crossed the Bosphorus in Istanbul. The iron steamship, named Suhulet (meaning 'ease' or 'convenience') was designed by the general manager of Şirket-i Hayriye (Bosporus Steam Navigation Company), Giritli Hüseyin Haki Bey and built by the Greenwich shipyard of Maudslay, Sons and Field . It weighed 157 tons, was 155 feet (47 meters) long, 27 feet (8.2 meters) wide and had
18288-494: The world's richest people, started a ferry service from Staten Island to Manhattan in 1810. Just 16 years old, he had sailed extensively enough in his father's periauger that he could easily navigate the New York Harbor Estuary on his own. He was given $ 100 for his birthday in May 1810, which he used to purchase a periauger called Swiftsure . Vanderbilt used his boat to transport passengers from Staten Island to
18432-484: Was decided on as the best location. In 1904, after the Staten Island Railway Company refused the city's offer of $ 500,000 for the two terminals, the city started a process to condemn the land around the terminals. Although the B&O had been set to give up the Staten Island Ferry franchise in early 1904, the new borough-class ferryboats were not ready by that time. So, the B&O was granted
18576-479: Was dedicated, along with the new two-acre Peter Minuit Plaza in the Battery. The terminal contains connections to the New York City Subway 's South Ferry/Whitehall Street station complex, as well as to buses and taxis. A new ferry and rail terminal at St. George's Landing and an extension of the Staten Island Railway north from Vanderbilt's Landing had been proposed in the 1870s by the owners of
18720-491: Was discontinued after the September 11 attacks. A plan to reinstate car boarding, because of rising tolls on the Verrazzano Bridge, was seen as infeasible due to the effort needed to screen every car. While the ferries no longer transport motor vehicles, they do transport bicycles. There is a bicycle entrance to the ferry at both terminals on the ground level so bicyclists can enter the ferry without needing to enter
18864-482: Was elected in 1917. President Roosevelt (also known as T.R. ) was delivered in 1921, and American Legion was delivered five years later. The names of both boats triggered some controversy— President Roosevelt due to resentment of Theodore Roosevelt , and American Legion due to the fact that it was named after the American Legion , which was only one of the various veterans' organizations in existence. At
19008-635: Was faster than the SIR's vessels, and argued that he should thus be allowed to operate the ferry route. Throughout the rest of the year, Rogers's Standard Oil -affiliated transit venture, which also operated streetcar routes on Staten Island, competed with the B&O for the rights to the ferry. The locations of the Staten Island terminal were also debated; and West Brighton , Tompkinsville , Stapleton , and Port Richmond were suggested as possible locations. The B&O wanted to offer service to St. George and at least one other terminal, while Rogers wanted to use only
19152-503: Was incorporated in 1815, and the land comprising Tompkinsville was purchased around this time. The company built a highway across Staten Island; it also received the right to run a ferry to New York. The Richmond Turnpike Company began to operate the first motorized ferry between New York and Staten Island in 1817, Nautilus , which was commanded by Captain John DeForest, the brother-in-law of Cornelius Vanderbilt. This new ferry broke
19296-419: Was not incorporated within the greater city. At the time, ferry service along New York Harbor between Staten Island and Manhattan was conducted by private individuals in " periaugers ". These shallow-draft, two-masted sailboats, used for local traffic in New York Harbor, were also used for other transport in the area. Cornelius Vanderbilt , an entrepreneur from Stapleton, Staten Island , who would become one of
19440-544: Was obtained by the B&O in 1885, through purchases of stock. On November 21, 1885, Robert Garrett , president of the B&O, leased the Railway Ferry Company to the B&O for 99 years. The B&O could now provide service to a ferry terminal that was closer to Manhattan public transit. Formerly, passengers had to transfer to the Central Railroad of New Jersey (CNJ)'s ferries, which went from
19584-509: Was opposed to what he saw as a hasty purchase of the 39th Street line. Upon becoming mayor in 1910, Gaynor communicated to his administration's docks commissioner, Calvin Tompkins, that the operating costs of that route needed to be reduced; in response, Tompkins replaced the superintendent of ferries. Neither of the city's Staten Island ferries showed a profit until 1915, under John Purroy Mitchel 's mayoral administration. The city's purchase of
19728-494: Was still suspended after a year had elapsed, merchants at Brooklyn's Bush Terminal , near 39th Street, began petitioning the city to resume service. However, this service was apparently never resumed. The new terminal was completed in June 1951. From 1950 to 1951, the city ordered the construction of three new Merrell -class boats for the Whitehall Street route. These boats differed significantly from their predecessors in that they used 6-cylinder "Unaflow" engines, which allowed for
19872-421: Was still visible in 1900 at low tide. A long franchise battle ensued; and as a result, Vanderbilt sold his ferry service to Law in 1862. Vanderbilt subsequently lost interest in Staten Island's transit operations, and he handed the operations of the ferry and railroad over to his brother, Jacob Vanderbilt, who was the president of the company until 1883. In March 1864, Vanderbilt bought Law's ferries, bringing both
20016-477: Was the Richmond Turnpike Ferry, also the "Staten Island Ferry"; it originated at Vanderbilt's Landing at Clifton, Staten Island , and terminated in Manhattan. All of these companies merged in 1853, after Vanderbilt, who was focused on business ventures elsewhere, convinced Law and Tompkins to buy out his ferry company for $ 600,000. Vanderbilt remained a dominant figure in the ferry business until
20160-580: Was the busiest international passenger ferry port in the world in 2017 with over 11.8 million passengers whilst the second business international ferry port, Dover, had 11.7 million passengers. The Helsinki- Tallinn route alone accounted for nine million passengers. In 2022 the port of Helsinki had almost 8 million passengers, of which 6.3 million travelled between Helsinki and Tallinn. Additionally many smaller ferries operate on domestic routes in Finland, Sweden and Estonia. The south-west and southern parts of
20304-491: Was the only ferry in the city. It remained as such until the 1980s, when other ferry routes were restarted. Off-peak service was reduced in 1967, but two months later that service was restored. However, due to the mid-1970s New York City fiscal crisis , night service ended on July 1, 1975, with alternate service being provided by the Fourth Avenue subway . Night service was restored in the 1980s after two boats, comprising
20448-467: Was then sold to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1884, and the government of New York City assumed control of the ferry in 1905. In the early 20th century, the city and private companies also operated ferry routes from Staten Island to Brooklyn. Owing to the growth of vehicular travel, all of the routes from Staten Island to Brooklyn were decommissioned by the mid-1960s; but popular demand preserved
20592-615: Was then temporarily closed for a week, with ferry service restored by September 18. When it reopened, some ferries were diverted to Bay Ridge due to the closures of subways and roads across the East River. This continued into 2002, by which time some 2,200 passengers per day were using the ferry, and continued to do so even after the subways and highways were reopened. As a result of the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 , all vehicular traffic on
20736-536: Was to be a ferry from Staten Island to midtown Manhattan; this new ferry would travel at top speeds of 35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph), as opposed to the existing Whitehall-to-St. George ferry's 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). New York Fast Ferry was ultimately selected to run a ferry from St. George to East 34th Street in Midtown Manhattan; it opened in January 1997 and saw about 1,650 commuters
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