The largest fleet of tall sailing ships and naval vessels in history has gathered in New York Harbor to celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation. Sail 4th 250 will bring more than 80 ships and 160 U.S. and international aircraft to our historic harbor to celebrate the birth of our nation and our democracy.
An international parade of tall ships happens once in a generation, and international naval reviews just as infrequently. Combining both together is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and New York has traditionally celebrated and warmly welcomed sailors visiting our city.
Op Sail in July 1976 arrived at one of the city’s darkest moments. Urban blight and fiscal woes plagued New York when President Gerald Ford refused to provide financial support eliciting an October 1975 Daily News headline “FORD TO CITY: DROP DEAD”. Yet, Mayor Abe Beame welcomed the historic fleet of tall ships as more than 6 million people soaked in the spectacle.
Ever since, New Yorkers have warmly welcomed visiting sailors, as millions lined the shore to see the incredible parade of ships, and tens of thousands of New Yorkers toured visiting ships from around the world.
The fleet began arriving Tuesday and will lay at anchor or dock at multiple locations around the city. Tall ships and naval vessels will anchor or berth along Brooklyn, Manhattan and Staten Island waterfronts.
Fifty years after the first Op Sail, New York is ascendant, and with all its imperfections, America continues to welcome refugees from around the world creating a land of opportunity. Celebrating our past reminds us of what our nation can achieve when we work together.
Our city has a unique place in framing this great democracy. We predate the Republic and our original Dutch settlers introduced religious tolerance and cultural pluralism to America. That diversity remains our city’s biggest strength complemented by our energy, inventiveness, resilience and compassion.
As Mayor Mamdani experiences this amazing gathering, he may better understand the role the harbor can play in city life and the importance of protecting our remaining working waterfront.
The harbor’s professional mariners including pilots and tug and barge operators, fuel suppliers and ferry companies, dock builders and marine engineers, have worked together with the Coast Guard, Army Corps of Engineers and other government agencies to produce this once in a lifetime event. But it hasn’t been easy.
Sail 4th 250 spent three years identifying locations to dock vessels and paid to install basic maritime hardware at city-owned docking facilities because the city’s maritime infrastructure has drastically deteriorated. Mamdani has recently embraced the concept of a Blue Highway to move packages, products and freight, as efficiently as NYC Ferry is beginning to move people, using our waterways.
We must take trucks off our roads and replace them with small electric watercraft. However, there will be no Blue Highway without a working waterfront, the remnants of which are under assault from high-rise residential development. This event shows the professionalism, depth of experience and coordination in the harbor’s commercial maritime community.
As the mayor celebrates our nation’s founding and the past glory of our harbor, he will witness the harbor brought to life. Properly funding public maritime infrastructure construction and maintenance, protecting the remaining working waterfront, and planning with our commercial maritime community is the key to enhanced transportation, commerce, quality of life, and sustainability in the city’s future.
Fox is the founding co-chair of Brooklyn Bridge Park, founding president of Hudson River Park and New York Water Taxi, and a trustee of the City Club of New York.