Steamship Authority engineers are working to iron out some unexpected wrinkles in the performance of the new freight ferry, M/V Barnstable.
Steamship Authority engineers are working to iron out some unexpected wrinkles in the performance of the new freight ferry, M/V Barnstable.
The former offshore service vessel was poised to begin service on the Nantucket route in late January when a thermostat malfunction damaged an engine cooler seal, general manager Robert Davis told the Steamship Authority port council Tuesday.
Engineers made another discovery while repairing the cooler, which director of engineering and maintenance Mark Amundsen compared to a vehicle radiator.
“We needed to add a block heater to keep the viscosity of the lubricant going,” Mr. Amundsen said. “These vessels previously operated down in the Gulf and weren’t used to having these cold temperatures.”
The Barnstable had more surprises in store after the repairs, when it began the 30 mile cruise to Nantucket.
Crews at first struggled to load trucks aboard the new freighter, Mr. Davis said.
“It’s a learning curve for our crews and our terminal personnel,” he said. “Initially, it was taking upwards of 40 minutes to load the vessel.”
On a positive note, Mr. Davis said, the single-ended ferry is wide enough that tractor-trailer drivers can turn their rigs around on deck, easing the loading and unloading processes.
The freight itself has posed another challenge: Once the Barnstable is loaded to about three-quarters its capacity, the vessel’s draft — depth of hull below the water line — increases significantly, requiring a new letter from the Coast Guard allowing the ferry to take its full payload of nearly 1 million pounds.
“It puts it into a different operating parameters,” Mr. Davis said. The Coast Guard letter was expected Wednesday, Mr. Amundsen said.
The Barnstable also has been slower than expected, even with lighter loads.
Intended to cruise at an average 12.5 to 13.5 knots —roughly 14.4 to 15.5 miles per hour — the new ferry posted markedly lower speeds in its initial runs.
“We were looking at closer to 10 and a half to 11 and a half knots for a while there,” Mr. Davis said.
Those speeds have since improved to 11.2 to 12.2 knots, allowing the Barnstable to stay on schedule, he said.
Mr. Amundsen told the port council that engine programming should solve the speed and stability issues.
“We’re having Brunvoll, the maker, adjust the engine horsepower and speed in relation to the pitch,” he said.
The Barnstable — like its two sister ships, M/V Aquinnah and M/V Monomoy, which are still at Alabama Shipyard in Mobile, Ala. — was shortened by 24 feet in the midsection as part of its conversion from an oil and gas service vessel to a Steamship Authority ferry.
The midbody work was needed in order to install water-tight bulkhead compartments, which provide structural stability and are required safety measures aboard a passenger ferry.
The Aquinnah, which will serve the Vineyard, is expected to be ready for sea trials by the end of February and the Monomoy is scheduled for completion in June, Mr. Amundsen said.
Among other business Tuesday, director of shoreside operations Alison Fletcher gave the port council an update on the Blue Line standby program for Island motorists, which began a 90-day pilot Jan. 4. All other standby travel has been suspended.
Through Feb. 4, Ms. Fletcher said, 227 vehicles used the Blue Line to leave the Vineyard without a reservation.
In Woods Hole, where the same-day service was first used on Jan. 10, 125 Island vehicles had taken advantage of it by Feb. 3, Ms. Fletcher said.
“Generally speaking, it has been well received, and customers have been happy as far as I’ve been aware,” she said.
The Steamship Authority port council is an advisory group for the boat line board of governors, which holds its next meeting Feb. 18.
Comments
Amazing that none of these
Mike SomewhereAmazing that none of these issues were considered.
Hard to read this article………
Lynne Browne FALMOUTHHard to read this article……… someone didn’t do their homework on this vessel prior to purchase.
“We needed to add a block
James Vineyard Haven“We needed to add a block heater to keep the viscosity of the lubricant going,” Mr. Amundsen said. “These vessels previously operated down in the Gulf and weren’t used to having these cold temperatures.”
The incompetence in this statement is scary
I couldn't agree more. The
Larry EdgartownI couldn't agree more. The first thing that I thought of was, "are these people working pretechnology"? It's 2025. Why wouldn't you run all scenarios through computer models? Speed, weight and the loading of vehicles could easily be put into a software program for answers. As for the Gulf + temperature problem, beyond believe that nobody thought of this.
Yeah, I mean these issues
Tom Debrasso TisburyYeah, I mean these issues were total surprises. Who could have possibly foreseen that MA gets cold in the winter?
Wait a minute. You mean its
Jim EdgartownWait a minute. You mean its warmer down in the Gulf of America?
I am shocked. All the money
Robert R Brown EdgartownI am shocked. All the money spent to buy and renovate, and now this. OUR LIFELINE !!!!. YIKES SMH
Is DOGE available to look at
Hand to FaceIs DOGE available to look at the SSA? LOL!
A lot of things you can plan
Nick RIA lot of things you can plan for, the temperature issues you don't know exactly how it will work until you try it. The stability and draft issues could have been modeled if they had stability software, which they probably did not have the budget for. Seems to be an underfunded organization? Otherwise why not build new? To service the richest islands in the world? Takes lots of cash to run a fleet of ships, and you get what you pay for.
In major business if there is
Terry Donahue RdgartownIn major business if there is systemic issues the board of directors need to accept responsibility. It is time to remove the entire board, they have proved for years that they are not capable of performing their job.
When do all the harbors get
Tis Adult TisburyWhen do all the harbors get dredged for the deeper operational depths?
We need the SSA.
Tom Engley West TisburyWe need the SSA.
I made a few comments a
Jim EdgartownI made a few comments a couple years back, when SSA first started spinning this idea of buying old tired boats.
I said this is a mistake, buy new. They are not in the business of boat restoration, they are a life line.
What if, say we started buying old police cars ambulances, buses etc.. for example. Would we have something to say about that?
The two ferries will be nothing but a headache IMO. (Retired boat welder/captain)
I know people will comment on the savings. All I can say is look at the waste of money being spent on the buildings in Woods Hole. Wouldn’t you rather have new ferries than Italian marble and granite countertops to buy your tickets and use a restroom???
I am saving this comment to post next year.
2/14/15
Jim, well said! We are
Patrick EdgartownJim, well said! We are wasting millions of dollars for a building to buy tickets and use a toilet! Not only that place, but place it right smack in the middle where you get on and off the ferry!
Jim you are 100% correct! Why
Michele EdgartownJim you are 100% correct! Why are we buying used anything? Especially our boats!
And why is the new building so close to the slips in Woods hole??? That makes no sense at all.
Altered LOA - altered
Thomas Delotto EdgartownAltered LOA - altered buoyancy - vessel reports it "sits lower" when loaded ?
Any naval architects involved ?
Altering LOA - Buoyancy - Raised the CG & Center of effort ?
HOW about stability ? Roll over
At higher throttle speeds - burn more fuel - higher wear and tear ?
Holy Cow - another halt - fire - aim comedy ?
Wasteful spending on used
James Vineyard HavenWasteful spending on used boats and useless buildings. Where is the commuter fast ferry?? You gave us a taste years ago when everything broke down and you had to contract the fast ferry. Giving us a glimpse into what could be. Criminal
It was SO nice, lots of
Island guyIt was SO nice, lots of people would choose to wait for the fast ferry so it would mean they could run less regular boats, and run the smaller boats at an interval that makes sense. This sounds like a great solution to an organization that has a staffing problem.
How much would new builds
Albert GosnoldHow much would new builds have cost?
Lead times?
Not much in the long run.
Gabe OBNot much in the long run.
It doesn’t make good sense to
Capt Buddy Vanderhoop AquinnahIt doesn’t make good sense to buy used boats that have been beat up in the gas and oil business, you’re just buying someone else’s problems, that’s why they’re for sale! Let’s get smart and buy 2 new boats that are very dependable and under warranty rather than buying 3 used pieces of crap that you don’t know what’s going to go wrong next! In the long run you will save tons of money by being smart!!
The real tragedy, to be
Bob Morris Woods HoleThe real tragedy, to be multiplied many times over is that these vessels with nearly 20 year old emission technology set the standard for all ferry traffic to Nantucket and the Vineyard because of the monopoly power of SSA. They buy cheap old vessels to keep costs down (we pay with our health) and since they license any that want to run the routes they force them to find cheap, if non-conforming, ways to operate as well.
Is it any surprise that the
Pamela TisburyIs it any surprise that the steamship is already having problems. Why buy vessels & convert them? Why not have another Islander built?
How much did the Islander
Albert GosnoldHow much did the Islander cost?
Looks like they got 3 boats
Ken Edg.Looks like they got 3 boats for the price of 1 new one. Take some time to see if this was a good deal.
When this first came to light
Pete EdgartownWhen this first came to light, most people were saying this is a great deal??? This will be the worst decision of SSA. We are not into boat restoration! Come on .
Mr Amundsen was the overseer
Richard EdgartownMr Amundsen was the overseer of these projects. I think we should promote him to COO.
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