Electric ferry operators from Denmark, Maine and Washington state shared their experiences Friday in a half-day public conference aimed at encouraging the Steamship Authority to begin reducing dependency on fossil fuel.

The Steamship Authority board of governors will hold a special meeting next week to vote on a contract to convert three newly purchased vessels into freight ferries.

The lowest bid to do the work is about $20 million for each boat, general manager Robert Davis said Tuesday.

The Oak Bluffs Select board held a special meeting on August 24 to discuss with Beach Road Weekend proprietor Adam Epstein a schedule of nighttime water taxis from Oak Bluffs to transport festival attendees.

The Steamship Authority is preparing to purchase two Louisiana-based offshore supply vessels for conversion into freight ferries to replace the aging M/V Gay Head and M/V Katama.

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.

The Island Queen ferry has updated the ways passengers can book tickets in advance.

The good ship Chappy, huge freight scow which will this summer transport freight and automobiles over to Chappaquiddick Point and back, was the cynosure of all eyes Sunday, when she steamed all over the harbor. With Engineers Joe Costa and Jesse Jeffers coaxing the automobile engine turning the propeller, Capt. Tony Bettencourt walking the bridge, Joe Brown and Oscar at the tiller ropes, swinging the craft around in her own length, the scow made triumphant progress, loaded to the ribands with free passengers and accompanied by a great deal of assorted and uncalled for advice.

This new and superior steamer arrived at this port on her first trip from New Bedford, on Saturday last. Our old and much esteemed friend, Capt. Cromwell, who commands her, is greatly pleased with her, in every respect and thinks her a better boat than was the Eagle’s Wing. We hope to see her well patronized. Since the old boat was burned, the Vineyard people have suffered much for want of a regular communication with the main land.