The Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority has acquired two offshore supply vessels (OSVs) from Hornbeck Offshore Services (HOS) Covington, Louisiana, to convert for ferry service
The 240ED class OSVs, HOS Lode Star and HOS Shooting Star, each have an overall length of 73 m, beam of 17 m, maximum draught of around 5 m and deadweight of 2,772 tonnes. HOS Lode Star was built in 2009 and HOS Shooting Star in 2008.
Once converted and reactivated, these US-flag vessels will replace the Steamship Authority’s 40-year-old open-deck freight ferries Gay Head and Katama.
Those vessels have an expected useful life of less than five years, according to a study commissioned by the Steamship Authority. The two OSVs have an estimated remaining useful life of at least 25 years.
Initial cost estimates for the acquisition, conversion and re-activation of the two OSVs is approximately US$30M. The Steamship Authority provides year-round service from Cape Cod, Massachusetts to the islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.
“The purchase and conversion of available OSVs is the most efficient, rapid and cost-effective path to upgrade our fleet and best serve the vehicle and freight transport needs of island residents and visitors,” said Steamship Authority general manager Robert Davis. “The similar design of the vessels also promotes economies of scale through interchangeability of vessels for service needs, inventory of spare parts and crew training." Mr Davis said the authority would also investigate using alternative fuel technologies in its next newly constructed vessel.
Following design and engineering work for conversion and reactivation, the first of the newly acquired vessels will begin sailing to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket mid-2023. The authority has an option to purchase up to two more OSVs from HOS by 30 November 2022, with delivery by 31 December 2022.
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