Steamship Authority cuts scheduled runs because of staffing shortage

HYANNIS — Tourists are going to find it harder to get to the Islands this summer.

The Steamship Authority has cut back on some scheduled ferry runs because of a staffing crunch that is tied to delays in crew training and certification.

General Manager Robert Davis said the labor shortage could continue to effect the company’s service schedule for months just as the busy season gets underway. The Authority carries an estimated 3 million passengers annually, Davis said. Two-thirds of that number travel during summer.

The Authority has cut back the M/V Iyanough’s schedule from five to four round trips daily. The high-speed ferry can carry 400 people (passengers and crew) from Hyannis to Nantucket in an hour. The schedule for the M/V Governor, a freight vessel that can carry 42 vehicles and 256 people, including passengers and crew, has been adjusted as well.

The Authority lost the services of four deck officers unexpectedly, according to Sean Driscoll, communications director. Deck officers are traditionally responsible for navigation, route planning and communications, among other duties.

Ten employees are waiting to be scheduled for pilot testing and certification by the United States Coast Guard National Maritime Center. Testing hasn’t been scheduled and certifications could be up to three months away once testing is complete, according to Davis.

Ferry news: Woods Hole: Freight traffic headed to Steamship Authority ferries at issue

The delays, noted on the Coast Guard Maritime Center website, are due to an increase in applications and technical issues with “credential production equipment.” The Times contacted the Coast Guard's Sector New England offices and District 1 Public Affairs office and was told credentialing is handled at a headquarters level, outside the purview of the Northeast. The Times did not hear back from Coast Guard headquarters in time for publication.

The labor shortage means schedules could be subject to change daily.

The Authority has 10 vessels that can accommodate anywhere from 147 to 1,274 people, crew included. The vessels, except for the Iyanough, can carry from 39 to 76 vehicles.

Some travelers got bad news on Sunday when six round trips between Vineyard Haven and Woods Hole on the M/V Governor were canceled. Another round trip on the M/V Katama from Hyannis to Nantucket was canceled as well. A service alert Tweet said the reservation office was contacting affected customers to help them rebook their travel plans.

On Monday, the M/V Iyanough was back to its normally scheduled five round trips, but availability was limited to cars and small SUVs for a late afternoon trip to Nantucket on the M/V Eagle. Driscoll said the Iyanough was back to a full schedule that day because the company was able to rearrange crews.

Steamship Authority urges travelers to check the website for up-to-date info

Davis said vehicle spaces are subject to cancellation on peak weekend travel periods. He suggested people select wider time frames for traveling because of the increased likelihood of getting a match. He added that by this time of year, most of the vehicle spaces have been reserved.

Driscoll urged travelers to get in the habit of checking the Authority’s website where updates on schedules, weather and other news are posted because cancellations and delays are possible for reasons other than staffing levels.

The Steamship Authority website posts the most recent space availability on each scheduled run for those who want to travel with their vehicles. People can also get on a first-come, first-served waitlist to bring their vehicles to the islands. There are no guarantees that being on a waitlist will ensure passage on a ferry, however.

In other Authority news, the most recent phase of the Woods Hole Terminal reconstruction project has ended and will resume in the fall, Davis said.

From the archives: Steamship Authority Woods Hole ferry terminal waterside construction is nearly complete

Two of three boats recently purchased by the Authority, the M/V Barnstable and M/V Aquinnah, are having conversion work done at an Alabama shipyard. Davis expects those boats to be ready for spring 2024. A third boat needs similar work, but a price hasn’t been negotiated yet, Davis said.

“We anticipate a 10-to-12-month process once work starts,” Davis said. “It’s about the availability of dock space.”

Davis expects the M/V Barnstable to be the first boat completed, followed by the M/V Aquinnah. The freight passenger ferries will eventually replace some of the older, open-deck vessels, Davis said.

Denise Coffey writes about business and tourism. Contact her at dcoffey@capecodonline.com. Follow her on twitter: @DeniseCoffeyCCT.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Ferry schedules cut because of manpower, certification delays