In the future, the fastest way to get to one of Boston’s “next Kendall Squares” could be a ferry.

UMass Boston has received a $150,000 grant from the state’s Seaport Economic Council to study linking the Fallon State Pier next to the John F. Kennedy Library with a Boston Harbor ferry system, and “explore the needs relative to other anticipated leisure and recreational uses, such as harbor tours and whale watches,” according to the council’s announcement.

The grant is part of a $6.4 million package intended to support development that stimulates the expansion and modernization of the maritime sector, research that prepares for shifts in climate and business and educational programs that increase participation in ocean-focused industries.

“Expanding capacity, resiliency, and opportunity in coastal communities will ensure the vitality of the commonwealth’s maritime industry for years to come,” Gov. Charlie Baker said in a statement.

The announcement comes two weeks after developer Accordia Partners was picked to build a 3.4 million-square-foot development on the 20-acre Bayside Expo Center property on City Point next to UMass Boston, which owns the parcel. UMass officials have cited the dynamism of Cambridge’s Kendall Square as a model for the development.