Commuter asks US Coast Guard to probe NY Waterway ferry that hit pier and sailed on

A private commuter has asked the US Coast Guard to investigate an incident in which a New York Waterway ferry struck part of a pier while departing Belford, New Jersey, and then continued on to Manhattan with broken windows earlier this month.

Molly Pitcher was leaving the Belford terminal in Middletown at about 06:30 local time on October 6 with commuters aboard when passengers heard a loud bang and windows shattered, sending glass into the passenger area.

NY Waterway said the damage occurred when, "a part of the pier's banking system contacted the ferry." Patch reported that more than 10 windows were broken.

Passengers were moved to the upper deck and the ferry continued its voyage. The vessel was subsequently taken out of service for repairs.

The operator said no injuries requiring medical attention were reported among passengers or crew.

Commuter Dan Schulman told NJ.com he filed the request with the coast guard because the ferry did not return to port.

"Seeing that the boat continued on, there was no report of an announcement, I knew something was wrong," he said. "This was almost like a hit and run accident.

Schulman said the captain and crew should have been removed from the vessel and given drug and alcohol tests, and that the coast guard and state and local authorities should have been notified.

"If you hit something hard enough to blow out windows into a passenger cabin, I don't understand how that doesn't at least warrant stopping to assess what just happened before continuing," said Ericka Rech, who was aboard the ferry when the incident occurred.

NY Waterway spokesperson Adam Pockriss said the company had, "provided the coast guard with full information regarding the incident." adding that the configuration of the Belford channel and landing makes it virtually impossible to dock any ferry at anything but a slow speed.

"We have had no complaints or reports of injuries of any kind as a result of our dockings," said Pockriss.

Monmouth County Commissioner Director Thomas Arnone said the county learned of the incident from a passenger rather than from the operator.

"Under that agreement, NY Waterway is responsible for its vessels, captains, and, most importantly, ensuring that its operations and vessels comply with all US Coast Guard requirements and regulations," Arnone told ABC7 New York.

He added that the county was considering all available options, including possible legal action.

Middletown Mayor Tony Perry said Arnone wanted NY Waterway operations inspected without advance notice and a review of whether proper procedures, including coast guard notification, were followed.

Pockriss said the company was working with the county to determine what corrective action was necessary.

Schulman said a returning ferry on the same route had struck a piling on her starboard side roughly 1.5 to two weeks earlier, without visible damage.

The incident followed commuter complaints over late departures, crossings taking 50 to 55 minutes rather than the scheduled 40 minutes, crowding and the loss of onboard wi-fi.

On October 5, engine trouble kept a ferry stationary in the bay near Belford for 10 minutes, prompting a passenger to urge others to sign a petition calling for Seastreak's return. Patch reported more than 300 signatures.

Pockriss attributed crowding to Betsy Ross, one of two 400-passenger vessels dedicated to the route, being out of service, and said the issue was resolved once she returned.

Monmouth County awarded NY Waterway a two-year contract with two optional one-year renewals in August, replacing Seastreak, which had operated the service since December 2022. NY Waterway, which previously ran the route from 2002 to 2022, resumed service on September 8.