The historic tanker ship spotlights Red Hook’s maritime past and its uncertain future.

By COLE SINANIAN

news@queensledger.com

The humble Mary A. Whalen, a small tanker ship moored in Red Hook, pales in comparison to the 1,082 foot-long, 217-foot tall Enchanted Princess cruise ship docked at the adjacent Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. Cruise ships like the Enchanted Princess dock in Red Hook almost weekly, and they’ll often announce their departures and arrivals with a cadence of deafening horns, says Carolina Salguero, who executive directs PortSide, a maritime-advocacy nonprofit based out of the Mary A. Whalen.

It’s a warm, breezy October afternoon, the best kind of day to spend on the water. As part of the citywide Open House NY program, the Mary A. Whalen opened its doors to more than 30

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