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.

Mark Higgins, who starts his new job early next month, is the first to hold the position, which was created at the request of the boat line board of governors following a comprehensive study of SSA operations in 2018.

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

Vineyard Steamship Authority governor James Malkin was reappointed to a second three-year term by the Dukes County Commission Wednesday.

Two newcomers are challenging the sitting Martha’s Vineyard representative on the Steamship Authority’s board of governors.

For three of the last six years, the opening day of summer vehicle reservations with the Steamship Authority has been plagued by technology problems.

The Steamship Authority saw last month's Martha's Vineyard passenger traffic rise nearly 26 per cent compared to January 2022.

The weekend's cold has caused mechanical problems in three ferries.