Boat Line Pursues Government Grants

Oak Bluffs Ferry Terminal Renovation Is Delayed Until Steamship
Authority Acquires State and Federal Funding

By JAMES KINSELLA

The $10.1 million renovation of the Oak Bluffs ferry terminal and
several other major Steamship Authority projects will remain on hold
until the boat line succeeds in landing state or federal government
grants.

Along with the terminal renovation, state and federal officials have
passed over several other projects for which the Authority sought
grants, including the $5 million mid-life refurbishing of the car and
passenger ferry Nantucket; the $4 million mid-life refurbishing of the
freight ferry Eagle; and $4.5 million for certain improvements at the
SSA maintenance facility in Fairhaven. The boat line did, however,
recently obtain a $750,000 state grant to help fund a $1 million shop
building at the Fairhaven facility.

SSA general manager Wayne C. Lamson said last week that the boat
line will not proceed on the other projects unless the Authority secures
grants to help pay for them.

The state grants, under the Water Transportation Capital Improvement
Program, would pay for 75 per cent of the cost of the project. The
federal grants, under the Ferry Boat Discretionary Grant Program, would
pay for up to 80 per cent of the cost of the project.

Although competition is stiff for the grant money, Mr. Lamson
remains confident about the Authority's chances. In particular, he
said state officials are interested in the proposed Oak Bluffs terminal
renovation. Further, he said that the boat line does not need to start
the projects immediately.

Getting grant money, Mr. Lamson said, holds down the amount of money
that the boat line needs to raise from its passengers and commercial
customers.

"I'm not really disappointed," Mr. Lamson said of
the Authority's first bite at the grant apple. Speaking of the
state grant, he said, "This is the first time we've received
money under this program."

The state Executive Office of Transportation approved the $750,000
state grant for construction of a $1 million shop building at Fairhaven
for the current fiscal year.

Mr. Lamson said the Authority likely will issue a request for
proposals on the construction this month, with the boat line board of
governors awarding the contract at its July 18 meeting in Hyannis. Once
awarded, the grant money will remain available for the project.

He said the boat line will use the grant money toward the
construction of a pre-engineered, modular building on the slab of a
building that has been demolished.

The new building's footprint will be 125 feet by 60 feet, and
its height will be 25 feet, which SSA managers said will allow the boat
line to simultaneously work on a number of indoor projects. Further, a
large trolley crane in the building will allow workers to move large
components.

Of the remaining projects, Mr. Lamson said, the refurbishing of the
ferry Nantucket is the priority.

"The Nantucket is ready to proceed this fall," he said.

In its application for the state grant, the Authority states that
the "M/V Nantucket was built in 1974 and, after more than 30 years
of service, is in serious need of a ‘mid-life refurbishment'
in order to remain in service on its routes for the foreseeable
future."

In an interview last week, Mr. Lamson said the Authority wants to
refurbish the Nantucket before the Eagle because the former is older and
needs more work. Of the two vessels, the Nantucket has a far smaller
snack bar area, which the Authority wants to expand.

Also, the venerable Islander, the Authority's 56-year-old
ferry, would be available following the end of its scheduled service
this year to substitute for the Nantucket on the Woods Hole-Vineyard
Haven run.

In addition, Mr. Lamson said, money may be available from the
pending sale of the Authority fast ferry Flying Cloud to use toward the
Nantucket work.

Proposed work on the Nantucket includes upgrades to the
vessel's bowthruster for improved maneuverability and safety;
upgrades to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system,
including the heating boiler; replacement of the decking in the
mezzanine and passenger decks; replacement of all exterior windows; and
sandblasting recoating of all exterior surfaces; and replacement of
steel as required.

The Authority estimates that the vessel will have to be taken out of
service for 150 to 180 days (about five to six months) for the work to
be completed and the vessel delivered back to the boat line.

The other projects for which the Authority is pursuing grants are
the refurbishment of the Eagle, similar to the work slated for the
Nantucket; the renovation of the Oak Bluffs terminal, where the boat
line would build a new passenger walkway on the south side of the pier,
add two new vehicle staging lanes on the north side of the pier, and
replace the existing 35-foot vehicle loading transfer bridge with a
50-foot transfer bridge; and construction of a new steel-sheet pile
bulkhead, along with dredging, at the boat line's Fairhaven
facility.