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Read the press release here.

Citywide Ferry Boat Construction 'Moving Full Steam Ahead,' Mayor Says

By Irene Plagianos | September 22, 2016 12:26pm
 Hornblower Inc, the company tapped to run the planned citywide ferry service, is under investigation.
Hornblower Inc, the company tapped to run the planned citywide ferry service, is under investigation.
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Hornblower

NEW YORK CITY — Construction of the fleet of 19 aluminum boats for the new citywide ferry service is now underway, the mayor's office announced Thursday.

The 85-foot-long ferries, which will each hold 149 passengers, are being built in shipyards in Louisiana and Alabama — with 12 boats slated to be complete for the project's expected 2017 launch.

The aluminum boats are under construction in two Southern shipyards/ Courtesy of the Mayor's Office.

Though Southern-made, final assembly of the boats will take place at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the mayor said. Construction of the new ferry landings started in Staten Island earlier this year.

The aluminum boats are under construction in two Southern shipyards, Metal Shark and Horizon Shipyard/ Courtesy of the Mayor's Office.

READ MORE: 

► Citywide Ferry Boats Will Be Built in Louisiana and Alabama, Officials Say

► New Citywide Ferry Landings Coming to 10 Stops by June 2017

► Environmental Impact of Citywide Ferry Based on 'Worst Case Scenario:' City

► Hornblower Stops Aggressive Ticket Sales After DNAinfo Sparks City Probe

The boats, which the mayor's office said are being built with the "latest in 21st century marine technology," will be equipped with WiFi, are wheelchair accessible, and are being constructed with "ultra-efficient engines to reduce emissions."

The ferry service, which will cost the same as a subway ride, currently $2.75, will eventually stop at 21 landings across the city — with the city building 10 new landings. When it launches, the Citywide Ferry Service will offer free transfers to other boats in its network, but not to MTA buses or subways.

“We are moving full steam ahead and bringing modern ferry boats, outfitted with the latest technology and safety features, to our waterways," Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement. "This new fleet will help us connect commuters and visitors alike to neighborhoods throughout the city."

The existing East River Ferry Service will be incorporated into the new citywide plan, reducing the East River Ferry cost from $4 to $2.75, the city said.

The first routes of the ferry service — The Rockaway, South Brooklyn and Astoria routes, all of which connect to Wall Street's existing Pier 11 — are expected to launch sometime in 2017.

The Rockaway route will connect to the Brooklyn Army Terminal and Wall Street; the Astoria route will connect to Roosevelt Island (Cornell Tech), Long Island City, East 34th Street and Wall Street; the South Brooklyn route will connect Bay Ridge, Brooklyn Army Terminal, Red Hook, Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 1 and Pier 6, and Wall Street, with an eventual link to Governors Island.

Routes from the Lower East Side and The Bronx's Soundview neighborhood will begin in 2018.

The city estimates the new ferry service, operated by Hornblower, Inc., will make an estimated 4.6 million trips per year across the six routes.

Routes from Coney Island and Stapleton on Staten Island are in the planning stages for future expansion of the ferry service.

“We are moving full steam ahead and bringing modern ferry boats, outfitted with the latest technology and safety features, to our waterways. This new fleet will help us connect commuters and visitors alike to neighborhoods throughout the city,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

The mayor released the expected commuting times for each route:

Rockaway to Wall Street (1 stop): 1 hour

Astoria to E 34th Street (2 stops):  22 minutes

Astoria to Wall Street (3 stops): 38 minutes

Soundview to Wall Street (2 stops): 43 minutes

Bay Ridge to Wall Street (4 stops):  48 minutes