Steamship Authority governors put a period on the year 2021 at their monthly meeting Monday, hearing financial reports, electing new officers for 2022 and addressing transfer bridge safety following incidents involving a failed cable in recent weeks.

Passengers, cars and trucks carried on both Island routes were above projections in October. On the Vineyard route, the SSA transported cars at a rate nearly 21 per cent higher than in October 2019, and carried three per cent more trucks. Passenger traffic on the Vineyard route was down in October, with a 3.8 per cent decrease from 2019.

Ridership numbers for November and Thanksgiving have not been released yet.

Increased ridership contributed to a surplus of revenue of nearly $1.9 million in October, about 20 per cent higher than budgeted. Through October, the boat line has about $3.7 million in surplus revenue for the year.

And as revenue has gone up, operating costs have decreased. In October, the SSA spent $1.6 million less than anticipated and has underspent by $2.65 million overall in 2021.

Senior managers gave a report on an incident that occurred in Vineyard Haven last month when a minivan was left suspended over water between the dock and the ferry Island Home.

Director of marine operations Mark Amundsen said in the Nov. 27 incident, the Island Home moved slightly in the dock due to the wake from the freight ferry Katama as she was docking in an adjacent slip.

The lines on the Island Home “should have been a little bit tighter,” Mr. Amundsen said, but he said the minivan was never in any danger of falling into the water.

The incident was unrelated to an incident that had occurred one day prior when a cable broke on the Vineyard Haven transfer bridge; that incident was also discussed briefly at the meeting.

Governors voted to renew operating licenses for four summer carriers: Hy-Line Cruises, Seastreak, Freedom Cruise Line and Island Commuter Corp.

They also elected new officers for 2022.

New Bedford governor Moira Tierney will be the new board chairman, with Nantucket governor Rob Ranney becoming vice chairman and Barnstable governor Robert Jones becoming secretary.

Held in Hyannis, Monday’s meeting was open to the public only by Zoom. Much of the meeting was inaudible due to poor connection, and video often froze.

Updated to correct and clarify the discussion that took place about the two unrelated incidents that occurred on Nov. 26 and Nov. 27.