NY WATERWAY CHRISTENS 500-PASSENGER FERRY JACKIE ROBINSON, THE NEWEST IN ITS FLEET, IN HONOR OF AN AMERICAN ICON
Weehawken, NJ (January 29, 2025) –Yesterday, New York Waterway christened the newest addition to its fleet, Jackie Robinson, in a traditional champagne bottle-breaking ceremony at its Port Imperial Terminal in Weehawken, New Jersey. The 500-seat Jackie Robinson is named in honor of the Brooklyn Dodger legend and civil rights icon who is one of the most important and admired figures in our nation’s history. Service will begin on what would have been Mr. Robinson’s 105th birthday, on January 31st.
“When a group of us was discussing a name for our newest vessel, we kept landing on the idea of honoring Jackie Robinson, a figure who is an inspiration to all of us, and a true American icon,” said NY Waterway President & CEO Armand Pohan. “For those of us who are baseball fans, Jackie Robinson epitomized the very best of the game. He was a player of magnificent skill and grace. He was also one of the great trailblazers in the history of our nation, breaking Major League Baseball’s color barrier in 1947. It was a seminal moment in the cause of advancing civil rights, and specifically the rights of Black Americans, in this country. He, along with Mrs. Robinson, demonstrated remarkable courage, strength and grace in enduring the hate that was directed their way by those who would stand in the way of progress and equality. Jackie Robinson is, in short, one of the most admirable and important figures in our nation’s history.”
NY Waterway officials were joined by Jackie Robinson Foundation President & CEO Della Britton and Mr. Robinson’s granddaughter, Sonya Pankey. The Jackie Robinson Foundation, established in 1973, is a public, nonprofit organization that administers one of the nation’s premier scholarship and leadership development programs for talented college students. The Jackie Robinson Foundation aims to educate and inspire the general public around the ideals embodied in the life of its namesake.
The Jackie Robinson is a brand-new ferryboat designed to carry up to 500 passengers. Beginning January 31, the Jackie Robinson will help provide additional ferry service to Midtown for PATH commuters during the planned month-long Hoboken PATH closure. Once in regular service, the Jackie Robinson will provide comfortable and reliable ferry transportation on scheduled transit and excursion routes throughout the year.
About NY Waterway
Founded by Arthur Imperatore, Sr. in 1986, NY Waterway operates the nation’s largest privately-owned commuter ferry service. Prior to the pandemic shutdown, NY Waterway carried more than 32,000 passengers each weekday on 23 routes across the Hudson River, bringing New Jersey commuters to Manhattan and back. In cooperation with MTA Metro North Railroad, ferries bring commuters from the west side of the Hudson River in Newburgh and Haverstraw to the Hudson Line stations in Beacon and Ossining.
On dozens of occasions, NY Waterway ferries have provided emergency service when public transit systems are disrupted. On 9/11, NY Waterway ferries evacuated more than 150,000 people from Manhattan, part of the largest maritime evacuation in history. In August 2003, when a massive blackout shut down all Hudson River crossings, NY Waterway carried 160,000 people home to New Jersey. Ferry crews also have rescued more than 300 people from New York waters, most notably the 143 people rescued from US Airways Flight 1549, the Miracle on the Hudson in 2009, the most successful marine rescue in aviation history.
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Photo caption: Jackie Robinson Foundation President & CEO and Mr. Robinson’s granddaughter joined NY Waterway for traditional champagne bottle-breaking ceremony