Ferry construction contract awarded to Conrad Shipyard

A new freight and passenger ferry designed for the Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority will be built at Conrad Shipyard in Morgan City.
It was designed by Elliott Bay Design Group, a leading naval architecture and marine engineering firm with offices in New Orleans; Seattle, Washington; and Ketchikan, Alaska.
Terry Frickey, chief operating officer of Conrad Shipyard, said in a news release, “Conrad Shipyard is proud to have been selected along with EBDG to deliver this vessel.”
He added, “Both companies are steeped in a rich tradition of quality and integrity. We are excited to deliver another ferry in partnership with Elliott Bay Design Group that is critical to the transportation needs of the residents of the area.”
The new ferry, Woods Hole, will replace the M/V Governor, the oldest vessel in the authority’s fleet. The new single-ended vessel will measure approximately 235 feet, have a total person capacity of 384 and a car deck that accommodates 55 standard vehicles or 10 tractor-trailer vehicles. The ferry will include a bow thruster and have a service speed of 14.5 knots.
The Woods Hole will provide service between the Massachusetts mainland, Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. Construction of the vessel is expected to be complete in spring of 2016.
The Woods Hole project is the latest vessel to be built by Conrad Shipyard to one of EBDGs designs. The shipbuilder, which has a long-established presence in the Gulf Coast region going back to the 1940s, also built the passenger ferries Swan Quarter and Sea Level, both designed by Elliott Bay Design Group for the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
Brian King, vice president of engineering at Elliott Bay, said “We’re pleased to be working once again with the Conrad Shipyard and the Steamship Authority, both of whom are valued partners of ours. We’re looking forward to the construction of this new vessel, its entering into service and the continued positive impact that will have on the Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket community.”