Steamship Authority Cancels More Trips Tuesday

FALMOUTH, MA – The Steamship Authority canceled more trips Tuesday, the latest in a string of issues that has plagued the ferry service this year. All scheduled trips for the Martha's Vineyard Katama from Falmouth to Martha's Vineyard have been canceled due to "mechanical reasons," according to the Steamship Authority's website.

Standby travel is temporarily suspended for trips leaving Martha's Vineyard but is expected to resume Tuesday night, the service said. Customers with reservations on the Martha's Vineyard Katama will be contacted for rebooking.

It's been a rough year for the Cape Cod ferry service, which has been plagued by a series of breakdowns. The agency attempted to pin the troubles on a RI-based contractor hired to repair its boats, sparking a back-and-forth between the two companies over who was responsible for the myriad of issues.

The Steamship Authority canceled 550 ferry trips from January to April this year – approximately 15 times its annual average, according to the Boston Globe. Cancellations continued throughout the summer, and a fire broke out at one of its lots in July, destroying a bus and damaging 14 other vehicles.

Photo: The Steamship Authority ferry "Nantucket." (Credit: Steamship Authority)