Friday's Oak Bluffs fireworks and Sunday's Falmouth Road Race are affecting the Steamship Authority schedule.

Last Friday, the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) announced $4.6 million in ferry service improvement funding for the state of Massachusetts.

Since mid-March, nearly 50 potential contractors have looked at the Steamship Authority's request for proposals to start a freight service to the Vineyard from New Bedford or another port not located on Cape Cod. The number that expressed interest? Zero.

The freight ferry M/V Gay Head is expected to be back in service Thursday following the replacement of part of its hull, where a crack above the water line was discovered last week.

Six students from the Vineyard are among the winners of the Steamship Authority's Sail into Imagination art contest.

Robert Davis, general manager of the Steamship Authority, agreed on Friday to a three-year contract extension at an initial salary of $207,500.

The Steamship Authority freight ferry M/V Gay Head was taken out of service this week after a four-inch crack was discovered above the waterline in the vessel’s aft (rear) hull.

The Oak Bluffs select board discussed diverting ferries in late August to accommodate Beach Road Weekend, but stopped short of endorsing or condemning the idea.

Tisbury safety officials have asked the SSA to divert its 8:30 ferry departure from Oak Buffs to Vineyard Haven for Beach Road Weekend, but the boat line’s board of governors gave a series of thumbs-down to the request.

The Steamship Authority is having trouble hiring enough port engineers to maintain its 10-vessel fleet, while other positions also lack candidates, general manager Robert Davis said this week.