Robert Ranney News Today

Steamship Authority (SSA) Board members had varying responses following new details released on the untethering of the freight vessel Sankaty reported earlier this month.  While some members said they felt misled by the management following the incident, others said that a lesson has been learned and they’re moving on. No action was taken during a […]

The Steamship Authority (SSA) Board unanimously approved an extended schedule for SeaStreak, a passenger ferry providing service between New Bedford and Martha’s Vineyard.  SeaStreak typically does not operate ferries into the winter but they are proposing service after Indigenous People’s Day. Under the proposed schedule, Seastreak would operate two daily round-trips between New Bedford and […]

Two Steamship Authority (SSA) board members have criticized the ferry service’s general manager on Tuesday, September 26, giving him scores that didn’t reach 70 points out of 100 during this year’s annual evaluation. Vineyard representative to the board, Jim Malkin, gave general manager Robert Davis a score in the 60s and Falmouth representative Peter Jeffrey […]

The Steamship Authority (SSA) announced alterations to its schedule to accommodate several upcoming events, including Beach Road Weekend.  During a Tuesday afternoon meeting, the SSA board unanimously approved delaying the 8:30 pm ferry from Oak Bluffs to Woods Hole by 15 minutes to accommodate concertgoers who want to leave earlier than the 9:30 pm boat […]

The Steamship Authority’s borrowing limit will grow to $150 million. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed the state budget on Wednesday, August 10. And included with the budget was a bill passed by both the state house and senate that upped the Steamships bonding limit by $50 million, up from $100 million. Steamship Authority officials are […]

Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority passenger counts reflect pre-COVID era of travel, in latest report.

The Steamship Authority’s (SSA) website relaunch is facing another delay and a cost spike that pushes it near $3 million. The SSA Board voted 3-1 to approve a change order with the firm managing the website redesign for $288,000, bringing up the total project cost to $2.8 million.  Falmouth representative Peter Jeffrey was the sole […]

The Steamship Authority (SSA) board unanimously approved naming the third offshore supply vessel, which it plans to convert into a ferry, the Barnstable. Two other offshore supply vessels, also planned to be converted into ferries to replace the Katama and Gay Head, were named Aquinnah and Monomoy in September.  The Barnstable, formerly the HOS North […]

Updated On Tuesday at a joint meeting of the Steamship Authority’s board and Port Council, former HMS Consulting president John Sainsbury, who led a 2018 deep dive into the ferry line that resulted in the transformational HMS report, returned to provide further assistance.  SSA general manager Robert Davis said Sainsbury, now managing partner of Maritime […]

The Steamship Authority board voted unanimously Monday afternoon to authorize the purchase of a third offshore supply vessel for roughly $5.6 million.  Like the previous two vessels the SSA acquired for conversion into ferries, the new acquisition is a “Lode Star” class vessel owned by Hornbeck Offshore Services, LLC. Davis said a 2.5 percent brokerage […]