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NEW BEDFORD — Businesses are moving to adapt after a report forced the closure of most of New Bedford State Pier.
MassDevelopment, the state agency that manages the pier, closed most of the property after receiving an engineering review by Bellingham-based Childs Engineering dated Nov. 14. The review found that many of the timber piles holding up the pier have deteriorated.
The necessary repairs are at the south wharf and most of the east wharf. Most of the north wharf is already closed for repairs. Only the northeastern portion of the pier remains suitable for service.
“Based on the current condition of the piles and bracing, the pier is structurally incapable of supporting pedestrian loading or any equipment or storage on either the South or East Face,” the review says.
Authorities estimate the repairs will take about four years. The work has not begun, and the state has not announced a start date or the cost.
The engineering review, conducted in April, found that of 191 timber piles inspected, 123 had lost more than two inches of diameter. 51 of those had lost more than six inches in diameter. The piles’ diameters range in size from 10 to 12 inches.
A spokeswoman for MassDevelopment told The Light the agency is working with pier tenants to move swiftly and minimize disruptions.
“Most businesses have relocated or are in the process of relocating,” said Kelsey Schiller. “We expect all tenants to be relocated by Thanksgiving.”
Several sources who spoke with The Light said the structural issues with the pier have been widely known for some time.
“State Pier is an invaluable waterfront asset that was grossly mismanaged for far too long,” said state Sen. Mark Montigny, a New Bedford Democrat, in a statement to The Light. “While we are disappointed that engineering assessments recently revealed far greater concerns than originally anticipated, we must always prioritize safety and immediate needs.”
The pier hosts multiple fishing vessels, but is best-known for the historic schooner Ernestina-Morissey, and for its ferry terminals. Seastreak services run seasonally to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, while the Cuttyhunk Ferry to Cuttyhunk Island operates year-round. The pier also serves as a docking location for American Cruise Lines, a boutique cruise company out of Guilford, Connecticut.
At the moment, Cuttyhunk Ferry is the only business allowed to operate from the pier. Seastreak will return around April 15, when the two companies will share the spot.
According to the New Bedford Port Authority, only two fishing boats remain at the state pier, and they expect those out by Thanksgiving.
The Ernestina-Morissey is currently in winter quarters at Gloucester State Pier. “Our priority is to return to New Bedford in the spring for the start of the 2026 sailing season, and we are optimistic we will be able to do so,” said Katherine Riley, outreach and education coordinator for Massachusetts Maritime Academy, which owns the vessel. “If that does not work out, we are looking into alternative locations.”
American Cruise Lines said it is also looking for alternatives in New Bedford as the pier repairs get underway. Cruises operated by the company docked in New Bedford 61 times in 2025.
“American Cruise Lines is currently working with local officials to identify alternate docking locations during the pier’s shutdown and construction,” said Alexa Paolella, company spokeswoman.
Sudden but not unexpected
Built in 1913, the state pier has seen many renovations. According to the report, the last renovation occurred in 2014, when half of the bracings that reinforce the pylons were replaced.
Though the pier’s closure this month was sudden, it did not come as a surprise to most of those working out of it.
“We’ve been hearing about this for many years and to see it happening is wonderful,” said Christopher Cote, general manager for Seastreak in Providence, New Bedford, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard. “There’s been portions of that that have been closed to us for years because it is unstable.”
The ferry operations are a large economic contributor to the city. Seastreak carries 100,000 to 150,000 passengers to and from Nantucket and the Vineyard during its operating season, April 15 to Oct. 15. During peak season, Seastreak can run as many as 10 trips a day.
“We’re excited for this to happen,” Cote said of the pier renovations. “The biggest impact for us is we have a smaller usable space for loading and unloading passengers.”
The Cuttyhunk Ferry, a much smaller operation, is the only link between the town of Gosnold, the smallest in the state, and the mainland. Owned by Jono Billings and his wife, the operation shuttles between 18,000 and 20,000 people each summer between Cuttyhunk and New Bedford. That shrinks to 1,000 passengers in the winter, including some of Gosnold’s 70 or so yearlong residents and contractors working on the island.
But the main source of the Cuttyhunk Ferry’s income is cargo: 850 tons annually.
“Everything in every house gets there through us,” Billings said.
Billings said he favors the repairs to the pier. “There’s no question: the pier where we were needs to be rebuilt,” Billings said.
But he said the move from the relatively sheltered south side of the pier to the northeast corner exposes his boat to waves and winds that will slam it against the pier, causing damage to the hull. As a result, he is investing in fenders to protect the boat — an expense he said he’ll have to pass onto the customers.
“We are purchasing very expensive equipment,” he said. “We’re a very small company, so we can’t take much of a hit.”
Billings also expressed concern about the lack of a cost assessment or plans for the pier’s repairs. Gordon Carr, executive director of the New Bedford Port Authority, said officials are focused on making sure dock tenants can continue to operate from the port, and will turn to the repair plans later.
Three years of discussion
The pier’s partial closure comes after three years of sometimes heated discussions about development projects on the property since 2022.
Design proposals for new construction on the pier include restaurants, a public-facing operation for BASE Seafood Auction, and more. In July, the public got its first detailed look at two such proposals. One would involve the construction of retail spaces on MacArthur Boulevard and a terminal building for tickets and waiting. That would involve both the Seastreak and Cuttyhunk ferries remaining at the north side of the pier.
A second proposal would move the ferries to the south end of the pier where the Ernestina-Morissey is and expand the parking lot.
During the July presentation, Tim Love, the principal of architectural firm Utile, Inc., which designed the proposals, said the redeveloped pier should be harmonious with downtown.
“I think all users have expressed a desire to not have the pier be completely the opposite of downtown New Bedford,” Love said.
Officials say the development project will move forward despite the need for repairs.
“State Pier remains one of the most exciting economic development opportunities in New Bedford,” Montigny said. “It is far more important that we get this right than to rush toward quick, short-term solutions.”
Kevin G. Andrade can be reached at kandrade@newbedfordlight.org.
After the pier is fixed structurally the State should give it to the city for small business’s that will add to the economic climate and help with the future of our historic district’s vibrancy.
Let’s hope this isn’t part of the “long” game plan to get New Bedford into accepting the waste from Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard! I’m also wondering, if they will rebuild the pier, will they take into consideration the expected sea level rise, or simply do a restore now with the intent to rebuild again, when sea level rise impacts happen! Why do a competent job now when you can do it again at 4x the cost!
Each day brings more bad news, Wind is disaster, giving the Star Store to a Non Profit, the corruption at the Pope’s Island Marina , and now the State Pier being shut down. Our city’s already lean revenue streams must be taking a major hit. The question that needs to answered is what is this Administration going to do offset the lost of revenue? The answer just can’t be to keep raising taxes (New Bedford needs New Leadership).