Atlantic Highlands, NJ — This morning, Seastreak announced that it is canceling its planned summer 2026 ferry service between New York City and Point Pleasant Beach after the Point Pleasant Beach Borough Council voted last evening not to approve the temporary pilot program that would have allowed the service to operate this season.
The proposed service was structured as a limited summer pilot operating on eight peak season weekends. The purpose of that pilot was to test demand and, importantly, to
determine whether this type of service could be financially viable before making larger, long term investments and commitments for more robust ferry service to Point Pleasant Beach.
Seastreak began exploring the opportunity to operate ferry service to Point Pleasant Beach earlier this year and was encouraged early on by conversations with local stakeholders. The Point Pleasant Beach Chamber of Commerce expressed strong support for the concept, and the Borough Council initially voted to move forward with exploring a temporary licensing framework for the pilot. Based on those signals, Seastreak moved ahead with planning, coordination, and ticket sales, securing docking rights at a local dock that is zoned marine commercial and already supports water taxis and other commercial marine ventures.
Over the past several weeks, Seastreak worked closely with the Mayor and Borough Administrator to develop a detailed and controlled operational plan, including passenger
pickup and drop-off logistics designed to minimize local impact.
“To get to this point after the level of engagement we’ve had is extremely frustrating and disappointing” said James D. Barker, President of Seastreak. “We were confident that we had
a path to responsibly test this service. The whole purpose of the pilot was to determine whether service was logistically and economically viable before making larger investments
and commitments. Without the ability to test the concept on a limited basis as we proposed, it becomes very difficult to move forward.”
While Seastreak operates large, safe, comfortable vessels, the service was designed with built-in contingencies to account for the realities of operating ferry service on the open
ocean. When conditions allowed, the ferry would operate directly between Manhattan and Point Pleasant Beach. When conditions were not suitable, Seastreak planned to operate the
service to its Belford terminal and complete the trip by bus. This approach was intended to maintain a consistent and reliable customer experience while allowing the route to be tested
under real-world conditions.
The transportation value of the route was clear. Seastreak’s published travel time was one hour and fifteen minutes, and during a recent test run the trip was completed in
approximately one hour and ten minutes. By comparison, rail travel from Penn Station can take roughly two and a half hours.
The pilot was structured to be a no-cost, low-risk opportunity for the Borough. Seastreak would have assumed the full financial cost of the program and had already invested
significantly in marketing, ticketing, and operations.
“This was a no-cost, low-risk opportunity for the Borough to test something that could have led to meaningful long-term investment in infrastructure and service,” Barker said. “That was
the entire point of the pilot – to first prove demand in order to justify larger investments and commitments.”
“We explained that repeatedly throughout this process. Without the pilot, you’re now asking a private operator to take on significant engineering, planning, and capital costs without ever having had the chance to validate whether the service was economically and operationally viable, and without assurance that it would even be permitted to operate if it was determined to be viable. That’s very difficult to justify.”
“At the end of the day, this was about an opportunity to evaluate a new and exciting service with very little downside to Point Pleasant Beach and real and significant upside potential.
We’re disappointed and frustrated that the Borough Council did not agree, and instead voted against allowing the pilot ferry service. Residents should take a close look at how decisions like this are being made and what opportunities may be lost as a result.”
Without the ability to run the pilot service to test the concept, Seastreak cannot evaluate demand or the operational and financial feasibility of ferry service to Point Pleasant Beach
in real conditions, and cannot justify the significant level of time and investment that Borough Council is requiring before it will even consider whether to permit ferry service. As
a result, and with great disappointment, Seastreak has no choice but to cancel the planned service and reallocate its vessels to other opportunities for the 2026 summer season.
Customers who purchased tickets for Point Pleasant Beach sailings this summer will receive full and immediate refunds.
Seastreak said that it is uncertain whether it will revisit Point Pleasant Beach in 2027 and remains focused on deploying its vessels where projects can move forward with a clear and
practical path to execution. The company remains open to working with other communities interested in developing ferry service.
About Seastreak
Seastreak is a privately owned ferry company operating a fleet of ten high-speed vessels serving the New York, New Jersey, and New England region. The company provides
commuter and leisure routes and continues to expand its network to meet evolving travel demand.