Moulton has made Lynn’s waterfront revitalization a priority for his work in Congress and focused Denoncourt’s attention on the city and its potential development sites.

The Lynn-to-Boston ferry exceeded ridership expectation in its first season in the spring and summer of 2014, and added riders last summer. But Imperatore said the keys tomaking the ferry a long-term success include “frequency, reliability, speed and comfort — and it needs to run year-round,” he said.

NY Waterway operates 31 routes from 25 terminals, providing waterway commuter service to New York City, but Imperatore said his business and the Lynn ferry share humble beginnings. NY Waterway’s first ferry crossed the Hudson River from a dock in New Jersey and Imperatore said “patience and perseverance” helped the company add routes and ferry terminals.

“We pioneered the ferry system in New York and put it back together again,” he said.

Working with Cowdell, McGee spearheaded efforts to obtain state money to pay for a two-year pilot program to operate the Lynn-Boston ferry with a boat provided byBoston Harbor Cruises. McGee envisions commuter ferry service expanding into Boston Harbor routes and even Provincetown destinations. He is working with Cowdell and other city officials to ensure money is available to pay for a continued service this summer.

“We want this to be a 52-week venture,” Cowdell said.

Imperatore also attended a briefing Friday on the waterfront’s development potential and, on Thursday, he rode the Hingham ferry studied carefully by Cowdell and other local officials who hope to repeat that South Shore community’s success in linking water transport to development.