The Steamship Authority’s newest ferry, the MV [motor vessel] Woods Hole, arrived at the Woods Hole terminal Friday. Later in the day, a crew sailed the newest ferry in the fleet to the Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven terminals to familiarize themselves with her handling capabilities before returning to the Fairhaven shipyard.
A commissioning ceremony and tour is scheduled for noon Monday at the Woods Hole terminal. She will then depart for Martha’s Vineyard and the Vineyard Haven terminal, where the public will be invited to tour the $40.4 million ferry that afternoon from 3 pm to 4:30 pm. On Tuesday, the Woods Hole will travel to Nantucket for a public inspection.
The single-ended ferry is expected to enter service on the Vineyard–Woods Hole route on Friday, June 17. She will service the Nantucket route in the fall and return to the Vineyard for the winter season.
M/V Woods Hole is a 235-foot long passenger/vehicle ferry and will serve both the Woods Hole to Martha’s Vineyard 45 minute route as well as the Hyannis to Nantucket two hours and fifteen minute route, the SSA said in a press release. With a beam of 64-feet and a maximum draft of 10.5-feet, this ferry has the capacity to carry 384 persons on board, including crew, and the freight deck can accommodate ten 100,000 lbs. semi-trailers or a mix of trucks and cars. She is powered by two MTU 16V4000 M64 series, EPA Tier 3 diesel engines.
This vessel possesses the latest in passenger comfort and amenities, including Wi-Fi access, and is equipped with state-of-the-art radar, communications and navigation systems, multiple electrical outlets, cushioned chairs, bench seating, tables, a full service snack bar and restrooms. The vessel also includes an elevator from the freight deck to the passenger deck for those in wheelchairs or who need extra help, two rescue boats, a Marine Evacuation Slide and Liferaft System with 100 percent persons on board capacity, and emergency equipment exceeding United States Coast Guard requirements. Passenger areas throughout the vessel are adorned with historic prints and panels provided by the Woods Hole Historical Museum.
Built by Conrad Shipyard, LLC in Morgan City, Louisiana and designed by the Elliott Bay Design Group of Seattle, Washington, the vessel is expected to begin serving the Woods Hole and Martha’s Vineyard route at the start of the summer schedule, June 17, 2016.