Mary A. Whalen Oil Tanker

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The nonprofit organization, Portside New York, calls an old ship in Red Hook, Brooklyn home.

The goal of Portside is to be a living laboratory in hopes of improving urban waterways. The organization is based out of the Mary A. Whalen, a retired oil tanker now open to the public. The ship made its first launch in 1938 and worked the seas until 1994 when severe engine damage put it to rest. However, not prior to the Mary A. Whalen becoming one of the more famous oil tankers in history. The tanker is listed under the National Register of Historic Places. The ship’s historic 1968 Christmas Day grounding played a major role in the 1975 Supreme Court case, U.S. vs Reliable Transfer.

The main deck now plays host to Tanker Time, where visitors can come aboard for free and enjoy hammocks, along with picturesque views. The ship is also home to several other educational events including the maritime museum, Red Hook WaterStories.