Abandoned Boat Update: Last Empty Vessel Removed From Hoboken Waters

HOBOKEN, NJ — The city of Hoboken proudly hoisted the last abandoned boat off its northern waterfront on Wednesday, "after nearly a decade of [the boats] littering our public waterfront," said Mayor Ravi Bhalla. The removal of 14 boats — some dating back to Hurricane Sandy — now paves the way for the creation for Cove Park, the city said.

The city has sought reimbursement from the owners if the boats contained identifiable registration numbers, they said.

Removal of the vessels eliminates the potential release of harmful metals and chemicals, such as oil and mercury, as well as plastics and fiberglass, thereby helping to restore the local ecosystem.

The removal was considered the first phase of the Weehawken Cove Restoration Project that will transform the city's northern waterfront over the next 24 months, the city said Wednesday.

Hoboken's northern border contains Weehawken Cove, a sliver of water that separates Hoboken from the Lincoln Harbor section of southern Weehawken.

The city will create Cove Park at 15th and Garden Streets as part of the NJDEP's Rebuild by Design project to help handle flooding from major storm surges. The city will begin construction of Cove Park next year. It will include above-ground amenities to protect the city from flooding.

"I am proud to share the update that all of the hazardous boats in Weehawken Cove are finally gone," said Mayor Ravi Bhalla. "This project is a critical first step in our transformation of Weehawken Cove, which will also include a living shoreline and the creation of Cove Park in the years to come. Thank you again to our federal, state and local partners, along with residents for the advocacy and support for the grant funding."

The city began to remove the abandoned vessels on May 2 following the award of over $235,000 in grant funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) last year, which Bhalla's administration applied for in 2020.

The award was made possible through local advocacy from residents and federal representatives, including Sen. Bob Menendez, a lead sponsor of the Save the Seas 2.0 Act, the city said.

“I’m proud to have authored the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act, which has already begun addressing the debris crisis threatening coastal ecosystems and communities and harming marine life," Menendez said. "Pollution in our waters is a global problem with dramatic and enduring implications for our livelihoods and well-being. I’m glad Hoboken was able to use federal funding to remove the abandoned boats and begin their waterfront revitalization.”

“We are pleased to celebrate this accomplishment with the residents and city of Hoboken,” said Nancy Wallace, Director of the NOAA Marine Debris Program.

The city will soon launch the second phase of the project and issue a bid for a contractor to rehabilitate the 16th Street bulkhead. Once repaired, the city will create a living shoreline that supports the growth of native plants and filter feeders, restores marine habitats in the Hudson
River Estuary, and will launch a volunteer beach cleanup and education campaign to help prevent the future abandonment of marine vessels.

These efforts are funded in partnership with the Hudson County Open Space Trust Fund and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Green Acres program, with the assistance of
Riverkeeper and the New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program.

Bulkhead repairs are scheduled to begin this summer once the city selects a qualified contractor.

For more information on the Rebuild by Design project, go to https://www.nj.gov/dep/floodresilience/rbd-hudsonriver.htm.