7 days ago
When will the refitted M/V Monomoy begin ferry service between Cape Cod, Islands? Latest.
What is the status of the M/V Monomoy?
The work on refitting the M/V Monomoy, 'is making fantastic progress,' Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority General Manager Robert Davis said, and it is scheduled for a stabilization test on Aug. 20.
The ship is one of three purchased by the Authority in 2022 from Hornbeck Offshore Services of Covington, Louisiana. The vessel, along with the M/V Barnstable and M/V Aquinnah, was converted for use by the Steamship Authority at Alabama Shipyard in Mobile.
The M/V Aquinnah was commissioned earlier this month and is expected to return to regular, year-round runs between the Vineyard and Woods Hole by June 16, Davis said May 16.
The purchase and conversion costs for the three vessels were made possible, in part, via an agreement with the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority that yielded $28.1 million in federal funding.
Davis reported that a utility building for the new Woods Hole Terminal construction is 50% completed and is expected to be ready by the end of this year. The terminal should be open a year from now, he said.
Some issues caused by the construction raised by staff and customers are being addressed, Davis said. They include restriping crosswalks from the ferry to the buses and moving pickup and drop-off areas behind the new building as well as adding Jersey barriers along the adjacent bike path. A golf cart also will be arriving to assist customers, he said.
Authority Board Chair James Malkin asked about coordination for safety around the construction site during the upcoming summer season. Other board members asked for more state police and coordination with the Falmouth police at the site, which will be provided.
Susan Vaughn writes about transportation and other local community issues affecting Cape Cod residents and visitors. She can be reached at smharris@
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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Steamship Authority updates on new Cape Cod, Islands ferries
