New Steamship Vessels Closer To Joining Fleet

Photo from Steamship Authority showing the converted offshore supply vessel in Alabama waters which will sail locally as the Barnstable.

HYANNIS – Steamship Authority officials provided another update on the highly-anticipated arrival of three new transport vessels at a Port Council meeting on Tuesday.

Director of Marine Operations Mark Amundsen told the council the former offshore supply vessel Barnstable is expected to leave Alabama Shipyard in Mobile by the end of August.

The Aquinnah is estimated to sail five weeks later.

Third in the conversion queue is the Monomoy.

Stability tests have been conducted on the Barnstable and submitted to the Coast Guard. After that, the Steamship Authority can perform sea trials.

Once up north, Amundsen said there will be at least a month of training. The Barnstable and Aquinnah are identical ships, so crews will be training for both at the same time.