A maritime recruitment firm with operations around the world is poised to conduct the search for a new Steamship Authority general manager.

Faststream Recruitment was the unanimous choice of the boat line’s search committee, a four-member group of governing board and port council representatives who met online Tuesday morning to make their decision after receiving presentations from four placement companies last month.

“It’s not to take anything away from the other proponents. It’s a match of our needs and our circumstance and the right firm,” said committee member Robert Munier, who represents Falmouth on the port council.

Faststream won out over Flagship Management, a company based in Florida and Ireland that has done business with the Steamship Authority in earlier years; Stonefort Marine Talent of the U.K. and Frank Jay and Associates in Texas.

Committee chair James Malkin, who represents the Vineyard on the Steamship Authority board of governors, said the board will act on the recommendation at its monthly public meeting March 18.

“We understand the multiple concerns and issues facing not only this job, but the Steamship Authority going forward,” Mr. Malkin said, addressing the public after Tuesday’s vote.

If picked by the board of governors, Faststream will be tasked with searching for candidates to replace general manager Robert Davis. Mr. Davis has worked at the Steamship Authority for about four decades, working his way up through the financial wing of the ferry service until he took the top job in 2016. 

Mr. Davis announced in September that he would step down in October 2025 to take an advisory role at the company.