**Steamship Authority Investigates Propeller Damage on Freight Ferry Barnstable**
The Steamship Authority is currently investigating damage sustained to eight propeller blades on the vessel *Barnstable*, which has taken the freight ferry out of service. The incident has left officials puzzled, as the exact cause and timing of the damage remain unknown.
On Tuesday, Steamship staff provided an update on the extent of the damage during a regular Port Council meeting. Photographs revealed that parts of the propeller blades had chipped off, leaving uneven edges. Damage was found on both the starboard and port side propellers.
Steamship COO Mark Amundsen noted that the propellers appear to have struck a hard object, possibly a rock. However, there had been no noticeable change in the *Barnstable*’s thrust performance before the damage was discovered during an annual dive survey. Amundsen described the uncertainty about when and where the incident occurred as “alarming.”
“Right now we’re at a loss,” Amundsen said.
Further inspection revealed “deep scraping of what appeared to be non-sand” at the vessel’s “port forward quarter,” leading the ferry line to suspect the damage occurred while the ferry was turning.
In response, the Steamship Authority is temporarily using eight propeller blades loaned by Hornbeck Offshore Services—the *Barnstable*’s previous owner—while new blades are acquired and installed.
Although the damage was mentioned briefly during the Port Council meeting in October, Tuesday’s session marked the first public showing of the photographs. The *Barnstable* has been at the ferry line’s repair facility in Fairhaven since October 29, according to the Steamship vessel tracker.
Port Council members expressed surprise at the extent of the damage given the unclear cause. Nantucket Port Council representative Nat Lowell said, “That’s unbelievable,” after viewing the close-up images.
According to Steamship Director of Engineering and Maintenance Zachary Lawrence, the ferry’s crew had not reported any damage prior to the discovery. He added that the portside blades suffered more severe damage than those on the starboard side.
As part of the ongoing investigation, Amundsen confirmed the Steamship Authority plans to analyze an area off Hyannis suspected to be the source of the damage using side-scan sonar and a remote-operated vehicle.
The Hyannis-Nantucket route has been troublesome for Steamship vessels in the past, due to shallow waters and damage caused by scraping sandy bottoms. The ferry line has requested the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to dredge the waters off Hyannis to prevent such issues.
Amundsen also pointed out that the *Barnstable* sailed at the same draft as its sister vessel, the *Aquinnah*, while the freight ferry *Woods Hole* has a slightly deeper draft. Notably, neither of these other vessels sustained similar damage while operating on the Nantucket-Hyannis route.
The investigation continues as the Steamship Authority works to identify the cause and prevent future damage to their vessels.
https://www.mvtimes.com/2025/11/07/ssa-investigating-freight-ferry-propeller-damage/
