Less than a year after the ferry Martha’s Vineyard experienced a series of breakdowns after returning from an $18 million refurbishment at a Rhode Island shipyard, the Steamship Authority board of governors voted Tuesday to award a new contract to the same facility.

At $737,488, Senesco Marine, LLC of North Kingstown, R.I. was the lowest responsible bidder in a request for proposals to dry-dock the freight boat Gay Head for required Coast Guard inspections and an overhaul that includes upgrading the steering system and replacing hull plating.

“We had many years of good service from Senesco,” Carl Walker, SSA director of maintenance and engineering, told governors at their monthly meeting in Falmouth. “Obviously the Martha’s Vineyard was a unique circumstance in that relationship and I’m looking forward to regaining trust between both parties and moving forward. We need two shipyards in the local area.”

Disagreements between the SSA and Senesco over the Martha’s Vineyard work resulted in the boat line paying the shipyard a $950,000 mediated settlement in December.

“Drawings and specifications were sent to nine shipyards and we had two responsive bids,” said boat line general manager Robert Davis.

“I’m pleased to see that Senesco bid on this,” said Vineyard governor Marc Hanover.

The Gay Head job, scheduled for July 2 to August 12, is a “shave and a haircut” overhaul that’s far less complicated than the Martha’s Vineyard refurbishment, Mr. Walker said.

“This is the third steering gear upgrade they’ve done for us recently,” he said. “We’ll watch this very closely.”

Mr. Davis told the board that at the suggestion of HMS Consulting, the SSA will hold a kickoff meeting with the shipyard before work begins and Senesco will provide an online project schedule. Steamship Authority personnel will also monitor the work in Rhode Island.

“We’ve certainly learned a lot of lessons,” said board chairman Robert Jones, who represents Barnstable. “Everyone’s going to be on their toes making sure this comes out properly.”

In other business Tuesday, Mr. Davis announced a pair of public meetings on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard at which HMS president John Sainsbury will present and answer questions about the findings in his company’s five-part comprehensive review of boat line operations.

Nantucket’s meeting is set for March 4 at 5:30 p.m. in the Nantucket High School cafeteria. The Vineyard presentation will be March 5 at 6 p.m. at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School Performing Arts Center. 

The board also approved additional Thanksgiving and Christmas service to Edgartown by the Seastreak fast ferry.

Tuesday’s meeting was the first for Falmouth governor Kathryn Wilson, who was appointed to the board by Falmouth selectmen last week. 

“Just fasten your seat belt and everything will be okay,” Mr. Jones told her, with a welcoming smile.”

While the five-member board is again complete, only four took part in this week’s meeting. New Bedford governor Moira Tierney, an attorney, was in court and unable to attend.

Ms. Wilson is also an attorney, but told the Gazette her work is office-based and there will not be a situation in which both she and Ms. Tierney are absent from a board meeting for legal proceedings.

“I don’t go to court,” she said.

At the board’s next regular meeting, March 19 in Falmouth, the architects working on the Woods Hole terminal reconstruction will present new design concepts for the future ticket office. An earlier design has been criticized on both sides of the Sound for looking out of place and blocking beloved water views.

The terminal project is running into more literal obstacles as well. Pile-driving work has been delayed by the discovery of a massive subterranean rock shelf, and soil liquefaction caused a bulkhead under construction to warp out of shape. The board of governors signed several change orders to authorize additional work resulting from the discoveries at the site.

The March 19 meeting begins at 10 a.m. in the Steamship Authority administrative building at 228 Palmer avenue in Falmouth. Island residents may ride the ferry at no charge to attend SSA meetings. The parking lot shuttle bus stops at the administrative building.