Discover the Governor: Ratings & Maritime News

On October 22, 2019, the vessel Governor encountered mechanical challenges while docked at port shortly after noon. A sheen of oil was detected in the waters around Slip 3 in Woods Hole, leading to immediate action from the Steamship Authorities (SSA). Investigations revealed that an engine cooler aboard the Governor had leaked approximately two gallons of lube oil into the surrounding area. In response to the pollution, the SSA swiftly implemented measures to contain the oil slick and initiated repairs on the vessel. Following the cancellation of four scheduled sailings, the Governor successfully returned to service at 6 p.m., ensuring the safety of the waterways and resuming normal operations.

On July 8, 2018, the Steamship Authority was compelled to cancel two early morning sailings due to a mechanical issue affecting the 'Governor' ferry. During a routine investigation prompted by an alarm from the reduction gear feedback monitoring system, the chief engineer discovered a broken wire on a crucial sensor. In response, maintenance personnel boarded the vessel, reconnected the wire, and conducted thorough tests on the propulsion system, which confirmed its functionality. Following these repairs, the Coast Guard provided clearance for the ferry’s return to operations. Consequently, the 5:30 a.m. sailing from Woods Hole and the 6:30 a.m. return trip from Vineyard Haven were scrapped. To accommodate travelers, some vehicles were transferred to the 6 a.m. departure of the 'Island Home', while additional crew members were assigned to operate extra trips aboard the freight ferry 'Sankaty'.

On June 12, 2018, the Steamship Authority encountered another challenging day plagued by operational mishaps. The chaos began when a truck driving off the ferry 'Governor' inadvertently struck and damaged crucial cables at the port, leading to significant delays. The incident occurred as the 'Governor' was disembarking at one of Woods Hole's two docks shortly after 7:15 a.m. Repair efforts for the damaged cables, which were vital for supporting the loading bridge used by vehicles, extended the ferry's departure by 45 minutes for its next scheduled trip. This unfortunate event meant that the authority could only utilize one docking space for ferries at Woods Hole, causing a ripple effect of delays for other services. By approximately 10:30 a.m., the cables were successfully repaired, allowing for the ferry to resume its operations. However, just as the situation seemed to stabilize, the 'Governor' suffered a mechanical failure marked by a 'low fuel pressure alarm.' By around 12:30 p.m., crews were actively replacing the fuel pump, leaving the 'Governor' stranded in Woods Hole until the issue was resolved. This compounded the already existing issue of limited docking space, as ferries could only operate from a single slip at the terminal, resulting in further delays for arrivals and departures. In response to the disruption, the Steamship Authority dispatched the 'Martha’s Vineyard' as a temporary replacement vessel, although officials acknowledged the fill-in service was also lagging behind its schedule. Notably, this incident followed a previous delay caused by a tractor-trailer that became stuck while exiting the 'Martha’s Vineyard' at Woods Hole last month. Amidst these challenges, the authority is actively engaged in a significant overhaul of its Woods Hole terminal, aiming to enhance the infrastructure by adding a third slip to alleviate congestion and improve service reliability.