Pier work updates in Vineyard Haven

First departure off-island at 5:30 a.m. will not run during project duration

May 16 update - The project was completed Friday, May 17, 2024. We thank our customers for their patience during this important work to maintain the safety of our operations. 

March 8, 2024 update - The start of the project has been delayed until Wednesday, March 13, 2024.

FALMOUTH (March 1, 2024) – The Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority will begin a maintenance project to replace a concrete finger pier at its Vineyard Haven Terminal on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, affecting the first departure off-island for the duration of the project.

The work will require the freight vessel assigned to the Martha’s Vineyard route – currently the M/V Sankaty – to berth overnight in Woods Hole instead of Vineyard Haven. Therefore, the 5:30 a.m. trip from Vineyard Haven will not run for the duration of the project, which is expected to take approximately six weeks. The first trip off-island during this time will be the scheduled 6 a.m. departure of the M/V Martha’s Vineyard. All freight and automotive traffic has been rescheduled by the Authority and will be accommodated on other trips.

The concrete finger pier on the south side of Slip No. 2 in Vineyard Haven has settled due to the age of the timber piles that support the infrastructure. The original steel stop beam that supports the transfer bridge in Slip No. 2 is also included in the scope of work and also will be replaced . The purpose of this project is to complete a preventative repair to the supporting structure of the slip’s transfer bridge to ensure safe passage for vehicles and pedestrians that travel to and from Martha’s Vineyard. The work will include driving steel piles into the seabed.

At its January 16, 2024, meeting, the Authority Board approved a $556,524 contract with Coastal Marine Construction LLC of Stoughton, Massachusetts, to perform the work.

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Since 1960, the Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority has served as the transportation lifeline to the islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard year round. The Steamship Authority is the largest ferry service to the islands and offers the most frequent daily departures for passengers, automobiles, groups and trucks. In 2023, more than 2.9 million passengers and more than 690,000 vehicles of all sizes were transported to and from the islands. Our U.S. Coast Guard-certified crews are committed to the highest level of safety at sea while our vessels offer comfort and convenience with spacious seating, free Wi-Fi and TV on board.