An industry-wide shortage of maritime workers is hampering the Steamship Authority’s ability to recruit enough crew members for the upcoming season. 

Steamship workers discovered Friday that the Eagle ferry’s bow thruster was leaking gear lubricant, forcing the boat to go to the shipyard for repairs.

At the ferry line’s board of governors meeting Tuesday, Steamship staff said they were increasing the number of employees who can green light cancellations, expanding the call center hours and making other attempts to improve communication with customers about the status of ferries.

The Steamship Authority's port council Tuesday heard reports on the slip work, as well as the progress on the ferry line's new freight boats.

Only a small list of outstanding items, including load testing and making sure reservations can be canceled and changed, are left to straighten out before the Steamship Authority launches its new website. 

Steamship general manager Robert Davis went to Washington, D.C. to talk to lawmakers about the proposed right whale protective measures as conservation groups call for a hard implementation deadline.

The Island is under a gale warning throughout the day, with the National Weather Service predicting up to seven-foot seas and 40-knot gusts.

A new terminal in the Falmouth village has been talked about going back about 10 years, and plans for the controversial ticket building were initially approved by the board in 2019.

The Sankaty ferry was back up and running Monday after a crew shortage caused the Steamship Authority to cancel all of the freight ferry’s trips on Sunday.