OHNY invites you for a summer evening cruise of the New York and New Jersey harbors to learn more the immense scale and complexity of local and global port activity. Bethann Rooney, Deputy Director of the Port Department at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and a 30-year veteran in the maritime industry, will guide us on the past, present, and future of the shipping industry in the New York and New Jersey harbors.

As the gateway to one of the most concentrated consumer markets in the world, the Port of New York and New Jersey is the busiest container terminal on the East Coast and second busiest in the country. From the first pier in 1659 through the establishment of the Port Authority in 1921, the wooden ships and cargo hooks of the past have now been replaced by computers and a landscape of gantry cranes. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, the Port remained open and operational, working closely with port partners to keep commerce flowing. In 2020, the Port handled a new record of 7,585,819 cargo containers valued at over $205 billion despite tumultuous changes in cargo volume from the pandemic.

The tour will showcase container terminals and cargo infrastructure, along with iconic sites like the Lower Manhattan skyline and Statue of Liberty. As our cities globalize and supply chains work to meet our on-demand needs, join us for an exclusive cruise exploring how the Port of New York and New Jersey will continue to serve the region with world-class infrastructure.

Tickets:
$35 OHNY Member
$45 General Admission
$75 Membership (Friend level) + Ticket (Value: $95)

This tour is produced by Open House New York in partnership with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) for the Port Authority’s centennial celebration. The Port Authority was established by the states of New York and New Jersey in 1921 to keep the region moving by air, land, rail, and sea. Alongside the robust management of shipping operations among 240 miles of channels, the Port Authority also builds, operates and maintains the underlying transit infrastructure, including the Port’s intermodal freight transport ExpressRail, the PATH rapid transit system, Manhattan’s Port Authority Bus Terminal, and interstate connections to the New Jersey Turnpike. Photo courtesy Michael Lee