NYC Ferry Becomes a Floating Classroom on New York Harbor with Billion Oyster Project

NYC Ferry boats are about to double as classrooms. Billion Oyster Project (BOP) and NYC Ferry have announced the Floating Classroom, a program that will put public school groups aboard ferries for 90-minute lessons on New York Harbor, launching for the 2026–27 school year. The partnership was announced at the DUMBO ferry dock in Brooklyn.

The trips will run on off-peak weekday schedules, with up to two voyages a day. Lessons cover marine ecology, oyster restoration, climate resilience and waterfront careers. The illustrative course takes in the Upper Bay near Governors Island, BOP's home base, so students see the shoreline, the working harbor and the restoration sites they are learning about from the water itself.

BOP's argument is one of access. More than one million public school students live within a few miles of the harbor, yet very few have ever been out on it. Using the city's own commuter ferries removes one of the biggest barriers to outdoor education, and the organization hopes a morning on the water becomes a doorway to deeper study, stewardship and maritime careers. It expects thousands of students aboard in 2027.

Bookings are open to school groups only. Teachers can join the passenger list on BOP's Floating Classroom page to receive launch news and first access when class booking opens; the list also accepts curious New Yorkers who want updates.

Adults who want to get involved have another route. BOP runs volunteer days on its oyster reefs and along the shoreline, open to the public, offering a hands-on way into the same work the students will be learning about from the deck.