FERRIES Act

The Federal Enhancement and Revitalization of Reliable Infrastructure for Essential Seaways Act, or FERRIES Act, seeks to strengthen and expand passenger ferry services across the United States. It achieves this by amending and codifying several existing grant programs within titles 23 and 49 of the United States Code, ensuring more stable and increased funding for critical ferry infrastructure and operations. The legislation aims to modernize ferry fleets, improve terminal facilities, and enhance service availability in both urban and rural communities. Specifically, the bill significantly increases authorization levels for the construction of ferry boats and terminal facilities, allocating escalating amounts from $160 million in fiscal year 2027 to $168 million in 2031, and provides an additional $200 million annually for the Urban Passenger Ferry Grant Program. It also transforms and codifies two pilot programs: the Electric or Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Program becomes the permanent Ferry Fleet Modernization and Shipyard Job Creation Grant Program , authorized at $140 million annually, and the Ferry Service Grants program becomes the Rural Ferry Grant Program , authorized at $300 million annually, with specific provisions for essential rural services. Beyond authorizations, the FERRIES Act provides substantial direct appropriations from the general fund for these programs. It allocates an additional $500 million for ferry construction and terminal facilities, $1.25 billion for urban passenger ferry grants, $1.25 billion for rural ferry services, and $500 million for ferry fleet modernization and shipyard job creation. These appropriations, totaling $3.5 billion over five fiscal years (2027-2031), are explicitly stated to be in addition to any other funds and are not subject to typical obligation limitations, ensuring a robust and dedicated investment in the nation's ferry infrastructure.