WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks and Congressman Kweisi Mfume (all D-Md.) announced $10,935,000 in federal funding for the Harbor Connector, Baltimore City’s fare-free ferry service that transports riders across the harbor around waterfront neighborhoods like Locust Point, Canton, and Fells Point. The federal funding will allow the Baltimore City Department of Transportation to replace the fleet’s three diesel ferries with new hybrid vessels and support the purchase of a fourth hybrid vessel. The new ferries will have deck heights that match the landings’ freeboard, so riders with wheelchairs and mobility devices can access the boats more easily.
“The Harbor Connector brings thousands of riders a year to the businesses and activities around the Baltimore Harbor. We fought to pass the infrastructure modernization law to upgrade our transportation, and this investment is an example of those federal dollars at work. This upgrade will bring more sustainable and accessible transportation options to the city and provide more opportunities for Baltimore residents and visitors to enjoy all it has to offer,” said Senator Van Hollen.
“The Harbor Connector efficiently connects Baltimoreans to where they need to be — whether for school, work, or recreation — and keeps our entire community connected. I am so proud to have worked with Senator Van Hollen and Congressman Mfume to secure over $10 million to ensure more Baltimoreans can travel safely, while helping to achieve our environmental goals,” said Senator Alsobrooks.
“The Harbor Connector is an invaluable part of Baltimore’s transportation network, and I’m proud to have played a part in bringing these funds home to modernize the ferry fleet and ensure that the Connector is accessible to all Marylanders,” said Congressman Kweisi Mfume. “The Harbor Connector allows residents of Baltimore’s waterfront communities to get where they need to go more easily, and now, they will be able to do so on modern, efficient, and environmentally conscious hybrid ferries. Team Maryland will never, ever stop working to bring resources like these back home to the communities that need them.”
“The Harbor Connector is a key part of our transportation network, especially for our waterfront neighborhoods,” said Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “As we continue to see record ridership, this award will help us make the fleet even more efficient, sustainable, and accessible for all of our residents and visitors. I want to thank the best federal delegation in the country for their work to secure this funding, and I look forward to seeing the new hybrid ferries in action.”
The Harbor Connector carried nearly 350,000 passengers in the city’s Fiscal Year 2026, marking the highest ridership on the service since 2017. Throughout the year, the service helped reduce single-occupancy vehicle travel by 500,000 miles and serves as an important tool to help Baltimore reach its sustainability and congestion-reduction goals.
This investment comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Electric or Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Program, which was created and funded at $250 million over five years through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, legislation that Senator Van Hollen and Congressman Mfume fought to pass in 2021.