Capt. Zeita Merchant, the Sector New York Commander and Captain of the Port of New York, addresses attendees at an award ceremony at Whitehall Ferry Terminal in New York City, March 9, 2023. The Coast Guard presented awards to the New York City Fire Department, Police Department and to the ferry and tug operators who helped evacuate hundreds of passengers off the Sandy Ground, a Staten Island ferry, due to a fire aboard the ship in December 2022. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Ryan Schultz)