Steamship Authority Considering Fourth Vessel Acquisition

HOS North Star recently purchased by the Steamship Authority.

FALMOUTH – The Steamship Authority has acquired three new vessels in the past few months to replace the oldest of its fleet, with a fourth acquisition being considered, according to officials. 

Communications Director for the Authority Sean Driscoll says that the idea of a spare fourth vessel is appealing, as it would cut down on service interruptions for maintenance, but it would not be without its own challenges.

“It’s great to have a spare vessel but spare vessels come with costs. It’s another ship that we have to spend maintenance on, do a drydock every two years and have enough crews to run,” said Driscoll.

“It’s not only about how many ships you have, but also how many people you have to run those ships and how many boats can fit in port at one time. It’s much more complicated. Even if we had 100 boats, we only have enough people to run 10 of them at a time.”

The new vessels are one of several steps in updating the service, including a new app and redesigned website that is in final testing stages, says Driscoll.

As work is ongoing to get the ships ready for their eventual entry into the fleet, officials are also gearing up for summer travel reservations opening on January 17 for Nantucket and January 24 for Martha’s Vineyard.

About Grady Culhane

Grady Culhane is a Cape Cod native from Eastham. He studied media communications at Cape Cod Community College and joined the CapeCod.com News Center in 2019.



CapeCod.com
737 West Main Street
Hyannis, MA 02601
Contact Us | Advertise Terms of Use 
Employment and EEO | Privacy