Ferry operators around the country to receive $200M in federal grants to modernize fleets

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Biden administration will issue $200 million in grants to modernize the country’s ferry systems, officials announced Thursday.

The grant program will focus on expanding ferry service in rural communities, helping them acquire modern ferries, including electric boats, and upgrading shore infrastructure to support low-emission ferry service, officials said.

Twelve ferry operators in the territory of American Somoa and the states of California, Washington, Alaska, Maine, Michigan, New Jersey, New York and North Carolina will receive grants, said Nuria Fernandez, administrator of the Federal Transit Administration.

“The grants help transit agencies make investments to increase reliability, improve connections to other modes of transportation, and bring older ferry systems into a state of good repair,” she said during a news conference at San Francisco’s Ferry Building.

The San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority will receive nearly $16 million to retrofit two of their existing ferry floats in the cities of Alameda and San Francisco. The New York City Department of Transportation will receive nearly $7.5 million to build shoreside terminal infrastructure to enable rapid charging for vessels serving Governors Island, which is only accessible by ferry. The new charging system will reduce emissions, decrease maintenance costs and improve reliability for riders, officials said.