Weather conditions on Christmas Eve were already bad and getting worse when the Steamship Authority made the call to cancel its remaining ferries that evening, general manager Robert Davis told the SSA port council on Tuesday.

With the $5.6 million purchase last month of a third offshore service vessel (OSV) from a Louisiana firm, the Steamship Authority has another new ferry to name.

Oak Bluffs and Tisbury will ask the state legislature to triple their towns’ embarkation fees, joining forces in a pitch to increase money collected on ferry tickets.

As the Steamship Authority prepares to add a third Lode Star class offshore service vessel (OSV) to its fleet, boat line officials are now considering a fourth sister ship from the same Louisiana seller.

Buoyed by more than $28 million in newly-available federal funding, the Steamship Authority is preparing to buy a third vessel from Louisiana-based Hornbeck Offshore Services.

The Steamship Authority board of governors, which normally meets on the third Tuesday of each month, has cancelled its Nov. 15 meeting with a tentative rescheduled date of Nov. 28.

General manager Robert Davis told the Steamship Authority port council Tuesday morning that he expects to name a COO before the end of 2022, from a pool of seven candidates.

Islander-only excursion auto fares will remain unchanged in 2023, after the boat line board of governors made a last-minute adjustment Tuesday that adds an off-season increase for standard vehicles instead.