Facing mounting criticism from Islanders and at times a divided board, Steamship Authority general manager Bob Davis announced this week that he will step down in October 2025 to take an advisory role at the boat line.

At the monthly board of governors meeting held Tuesday on Nantucket, Mr. Davis, who has worked at the Steamship Authority for nearly 40 years, gave a tearful goodbye to the public and staff. His decision to step aside next year sparked calls for a global search for a new general manager to take the helm of the boat line that is the lifeline to the two Islands.

“This decision has not been easy for me, as serving as the general manager has been an honor of my career,” Mr. Davis said at the meeting Tuesday. “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 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.

Board members 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 comes at the culmination of several large projects for the boat line. Mr. Davis also has been facing mounting pressures in recent years over management issues 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.

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 from the governing board and its advisory port council.

Last year those marks began to fall, including from Vineyard governor James Malkin and Falmouth governor Peter Jeffrey.

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

The board has held several executive sessions 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 acknowledged that Mr. Davis has put in enormous effort and worked long hours to keep 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,” the Vineyard governor 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.

In a joint statement, the Island’s state legislative delegation wished Mr. Davis well.

“Recent challenges at the Steamship Authority must be rectified — from frequent trip cancellations to frustrating reservation system glitches to staffing problems and unmet community concerns,” state Sen. Julian Cyr, state Rep. Dylan Fernandes and state representative candidate Thomas Moakley said in the statement. “We hope this transition serves as an opportunity for the ‘lifeline to the islands’ to emerge stronger in the months and years to come.” 

Members of the Dukes County commission, who appoint the Vineyard board member, have been pushing for a change in leadership at the SSA. 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.