NYC Ferry suspends service, may be out of operation ‘for several days’ due to icy rivers

The New York City Ferry suspended its service Tuesday afternoon and warned it may be closed “for several days” due to thick layers of ice floating on the rivers.

All routes run by the ferry shut down by 2 p.m. Tuesday “due to significant, continuing ice build-up in the East and Hudson Rivers and across New York Harbor,” according to a post on X.

“Operating in heavy ice conditions requires slow speeds and little to no notice regarding landing service suspensions. NYC Ferry crew will continue to monitor evolving waterway conditions and prepare the fleet to ensure service can resume once conditions improve,” the operators wrote.

The crew warned that “the closure may last for several days.”

With temperatures remaining below freezing until February, there’s no telling when the ice accumulation may dissipate.

By midday Tuesday, tugboats were dispatched ahead of ferries to clear the ice blocking their path.

Riverkeeper Patrol Captain Luis Melendez, whose spent 16 years navigating the New York Harbor, told CBS News that the new obstacles are making his usual trek along the brackish rivers even more nerve-wracking.

“You’re moving people from place to place, and you’re navigating through these kind of like ice patch and ice floes,” he said.

The New York Waterway is also operating with delays and modified schedules. Service to and from Edgewater, New Jersey, was suspended outright on Tuesday.

The five boroughs received anywhere from 11 to 14 inches of snow over the weekend, which practically paralyzed the city. At least 10 New Yorkers died during the storm.

The tristate area is also bracing for a possible weekend nor’easter.