MV Woods Hole

MV Woods Hole is a passenger and vehicle ferry operated by the Steamship Authority.

MV Woods Hole

Woods Hole docked in Hyannis, August 2021
History
Owner	Steamship Authority
Ordered	December 2014[1]
Builder	Conrad Shipyard[1]
Cost	$40.4 million[2]
Christened	May 20, 2016 (2016-05-20)
Maiden voyage	June 17, 2016[3]
Homeport	Woods Hole, Massachusetts
Identification	IMO number: 9792931 MMSI number: 367691010 Callsign: WDI3700
Status	In service
General characteristics
Length	235 feet (72 m)[3]
Beam	64 feet (20 m)[3]
Draft	10.5 feet (3.2 m)[3]
Speed	14.5 knots (16.7 mph)[2]
Capacity	385 people, 55 cars[2]

The Authority awarded the vessel's $40.4 million[2] construction contract to Conrad Shipyard, located in Morgan City, Louisiana, in December 2014.[1] Construction was completed in 2016, and Woods Hole was christened on May 20, after which she underwent dockside and sea trials before traveling north to her namesake city.[2] On June 13, she was commissioned into the Authority's fleet during a ceremony in Woods Hole, and began regular service four days later.[3] During her first few months in operation, she displayed a tendency to generate an excessive bow wave; while not impeding her operations, the Authority made some modifications in an attempt to correct the issue.[4]

Woods Hole was built to a design from the Elliott Bay Design Group,[1] and is 235 feet (72 m) long, with a 64 feet (20 m) beam and a loaded draft of 10.5 feet (3.2 m).[3] She can carry 385 people, and has a vehicle capacity of up to 10 tractor trailer trucks or 55 cars.[2] She is powered by two MTU diesel engines, with a service speed of 14.5 knots (16.7 mph)[3][2]