Steamship Authority general manager Bob Davis announced Tuesday he will step down in October 2025 to take an advisory role at the boat line.

Mr. Davis gave a tearful goodbye to the public and staff at the monthly meeting of the board of governors, held on Nantucket.

“This decision has not been easy for me, as serving as the general manager has been an honor of my career,” he said. “I feel it is the right time to support the hiring of my successor and provide assistance to that individual as they take the helm of this organization.”

Mr. Davis was chosen by SSA governors in 2016 to succeed general manager Wayne Lamson, who retired the following year.

He was the lone finalist interviewed by the board for the position after an internal-only search. Mr. Davis had been the treasurer since 2005 and joined the Steamship Authority in 1986, rising from auditor to assistant treasurer.

On Tuesday Mr. Davis highlighted his efforts to secure three new freight ferries, implement a new safety management system, and launch the construction of a new Woods Hole terminal.

“The hard work on these projects and many others will continue during the next year and beyond,” he said. “I know the Steamship Authority will continue to improve and excel as everyone works together to provide lifeline services to the Island.”

Board chairman Bob Jones praised Mr. Davis’s accomplishments.

“This is a man that has dedicated his entire life to the Steamship Authority and now he will take on a senior advisory role in the authority,” he said.

The Steamship Authority did not immediately say how the new advisory role would work, and no votes were taken on contracts Tuesday.

“We have a lot of negotiations to do as to how the contract will read and so . . . we won’t be taking a vote on a contract,” Mr. Jones said.

The leadership shakeup at the Island’s lifeline comes at the culmination of several large projects for the boat line, and also as Mr. Davis has been facing mounting pressures in recent years over his management on various fronts. Many of the issues came to a peak this summer, including staffing shortages, ferry breakdowns and other problems.

Mr. Davis was also at the helm in 2018, when the boat line was plagued with repeated ferry breakdowns that led to a comprehensive outside review of management and operations.

“Decisions are uninformed, avoidable incidents occur, employees work toward different goals, and opportunities are missed,” consultants concluded in a 2019 landmark report. The study was used as a guide in the following years, but internal problems have persisted.

Despite the issues, Mr. Davis has for the most part received glowing reviews since he started in the general manager role seven years ago. He routinely got high marks in the 80s and 90s from the governing board and its advisory port council.

Last year, he received some of the first poor reviews — earning a 65 out of 100 from Vineyard governor James Malkin and an even lower 53 from Falmouth governor Peter Jeffrey.

“I think it’s been clear over the past several years that some members of the board were not satisified with the Steamship Authority’s efforts,” Mr. Malkin told the Gazette by phone Tuesday after the meeting had ended.

The board has held several executive session in recent months to talk about Mr. Davis’s contract, which is set to expire in June 2025. He was making $211,500 in 2023, according to SSA records.

Rob Ranney, the Nantucket governor, praised Mr. Davis in a statement Tuesday.

“I have worked closely with Bob for more than 12 years, and his service to the Steamship Authority has been and continues to be invaluable. The Authority is a better organization because of his leadership,” said Mr. Ranney, who is the longest-tenured board member. “His insight and vast institutional knowledge will be invaluable to the board when he joins us in an advisory capacity next year.”

Mr. Malkin said Mr. Davis has managed to navigate the recent difficult years and has put a lot of effort and hours into keeping the boat line afloat.

“I appreciate his decision as the Steamship Authority now moves forward to meet the demands of the Islands’ populations and the challenges posed by technology and growth,” he said.

The announcement that Mr. Davis would step down followed a 30-minute executive session at the onset of Tuesday’s meeting.

An extensive search is expected for a successor, and Mr. Malkin said the board is still discussing how the advisory role will work.

Members of the Dukes County commission have been pushing for changes in leadership at the Steamship Authority, and commissioner Christine Todd, who was on Nantucket Tuesday, thanked Mr. Davis for his decision to step down.

“I know a lot of people on Martha’s Vineyard will be holding you in high admiration for this,” she said before turning to the board. “You’ve made the right decision in accepting Mr. Davis’s resignation.”

Editor's note: a previous version of this article mistated the number of candidates in the search process when Mr. Davis was hired as general manager. It has been corrected.