The Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority
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| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Area served | Cape Cod and the Islands |
| Locale | Southeastern Massachusetts |
| Transit type | Ferry |
| Number of lines | 2 |
| Chief executive | Wayne C. Lamson (General Manager) |
| Headquarters | One Railroad Avenue, Woods Hole, MA 02543 |
| Website | www |
| Operation | |
| Began operation | 1960 |
| Number of vehicles | 9 ferry vessels |
The Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority, referred to colloquially as The Steamship Authority or simply the SSA, is the statutory regulatory body for all ferry operations to and from the islands from the Massachusetts mainland, as well as being an operator of ferry service from the mainland Cape Cod to the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, and the only ferry operator to carry automobiles to the island. The Authority also operates several freight vessels, thus serving as the main link for shipping any commercial goods to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket that are not transported by air.
The present Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority was formed from the New Bedford, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket Steamboat Co., which in turn was a consolidation of earlier companies dating to the early 19th century, just before the railroad arrived. Early steamers included the Marco Bozzaris, Telegraph, Massachusetts, George Law, Naushon, Helen Augusta, Metacomet (1854), Canonicus (1856), Eagle's Wing (1854–1861), Monohansett, River Queen, Island Home, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Gay Head, Uncatena, Sankaty, Nobska, New Bedford, Naushon, Mercury, and Hackensack. The motor vessel MV Islander retired in 2007. The last steamship in regular service was the SS Nobska which ran the Woods Hole to Nantucket route until the early 1970s.
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Wikipedia