City Selects Atlantic Basin As New Red Hook Ferry Location

The Red Hook ferry landing has a new location and is part of the South Brooklyn route scheduled to launch during summer 2017, the City and the Economic Development Corporation announced today.

Citywide Ferry Service for Red Hook will be located at Atlantic Basin, and new boats equipped with WiFi are expected to carry at least 149 passengers, the City says.

“It’s full steam ahead for the launch of Citywide Ferry Service next year. Families and businesses in Red Hook have needed better transit options for decades,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We’re changing that. When ferry service begins out of Atlantic Basin, thousands more people will have a fast and affordable way to connect with their city.”

The Atlantic Basin location was selected based on residents concerns for more transportation options with the help of elected officials of the Brooklyn community.

“By locating the Red Hook Citywide Ferry Service landing at Atlantic Basin, we will provide a reliable and affordable transportation alternative for a community that has historically had limited transit options,” Maria Torres-Springer, President of New York Economic Development Corporation (NYEDC) said.

The City projects the landing to serve over 6,000 residents residing near the Brooklyn waterfront, including many families living in NYCHA’s Red Hook Houses. Entrances to the landing will be located at the intersection of Pioneer and Conover Streets, just a short walk to the growing businesses, restaurants, and retailers located along the Van Brunt Street corridor. The new site is also next to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal where cruises ships arrive and depart.

Council Member Carlos Menchaca, who represents Sunset Park and Red Hook said the new ferry location creates greater transportation options for Brooklyn residents and businesses along the waterfront. “Atlantic Basin is the best Red Hook location for a passenger ferry landing. I’m glad local residents’ voices were heard by EDC when this location was chosen,” Menchaca said.

Other influencers of the new Red Hook ferry landing include the Port Authority, the U.S. Coast Guard, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez, Community Board 6, and NY Rising and Portside.

They City expects and additional 155 new jobs in the New York Harbor and $15 per hour wages for crew members. Hornblower, a company focused on private cruise events for passengers, is also working with the City’s HireNYC program to recruit qualified applicants from different neighborhoods.

Other citywide routes besides the Red Hook ferry landing include:

• South Brooklyn, Rockaway, and Astoria routes are scheduled to launch in 2017
• Rockaway route will connect to the Brooklyn Army Terminal and Wall Street.
• Astoria route will connect to Astoria, Roosevelt Island (Cornell Tech), Long Island City, East 34th Street and Wall Street.
• 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 optional link to Governors Island.
• Soundview and Lower East Side routes to launch in 2018.
• Routes from Coney Island and Stapleton on Staten Island are in planning stages for future expansion.

As for pricing, the cost per ride will be $2.75, the City said, and the fare will allow free transfers to other ferry routes within the city, including the East River Ferry. Passengers will be allowed to bring their bicycles on board for a $1.