All NYC Ferry routes remain suspended on Friday due to significant ice accumulation on the Hudson River and surrounding waterways with no definitive timeline yet for the return of service.
NYC Ferry officials halted operations Tuesday afternoon at about 2 p.m. after ice floes and heavy ice buildup made navigation unsafe across the Hudson and East Rivers and New York Harbor, according to a service alert. The suspension affects all commuter ferry routes that serve Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx.
The agency overseeing the network, the NYC Economic Development Corporation, said crews continue to monitor evolving waterway conditions and prepare vessels to resume service once it is safe. “The safety of all crew, passengers, and vessels is of the utmost importance,” an advisory said, with no additional details on a restart date.
The decision comes as prolonged subfreezing temperatures spawned by a recent winter storm have left large sections of the Hudson partially frozen, complicating marine travel and prompting an extended period of hazardous conditions.
Officials have advised riders to check the NYC Ferry app and ferry.nyc for real-time updates on service status. Alternative transit options such as subways and buses continue to operate, and the separate Staten Island Ferry maintained its normal schedule due to its larger vessels’ greater ability to handle icy waters.
The U.S. Coast Guard has deployed icebreaking vessels in the Hudson and New York Harbor to help clear navigable channels, though the agency noted that forecasts predict continued ice growth as cold conditions persist. “Our crews are working around the clock to keep waterways as safe and navigable as possible,” Capt. Jonathan Andrechik of Coast Guard Sector New York said in a press release.
Officials have not specified when NYC Ferry service will resume, saying conditions must improve sufficiently to ensure safe docking and travel. Commuters dependent on the service face continued disruption until waterway ice recedes and authorities clear navigation paths.
