Partial Closure Of Steamboat Wharf's North Slip In Effect Due To Damaged Berthing Structure

The Steamship Authority on Wednesday announced a partial closure of the north slip at Steamboat Wharf due to a berthing structure that was struck and damaged by the incoming M/V Woods Hole ferry on Sept. 30th.

Until the berthing structure, commonly known as a dolphin, can be repaired, most vessel operations at Steamboat Wharf will be shifted to the south slip, effective Wednesday afternoon, Oct.7th.

"The partial closure of the north slip comes following an investigation into a September 30, 2026, incident in which the M/V Woods Hole came into contact with the outermost dolphin, which is a berthing structure, in the terminal’s north slip," the Steamship Authority stated in its announcement. "Following that incident, it was discovered that the concrete reaction block that sits atop the metal pilings forming the base of the dolphin was damaged. While the reaction block remains loosely connected to the pilings, it is less effective as a safety mechanism to aid vessels in their arrivals and departures at the slip."

Until the dolphin can be repaired, the Steamship Authority's vehicle ferries, the M/V Eagle and M/V Woods Hole, will use the south slip, along with its fast ferry, the M/V Iyanough. The SSA's freight vessel, the M/V Monomoy, will continue to use the north slip thanks to its extra bow thruster, which allows for greater maneuverability while docking.

Travelers should expect minor delays on the fast ferry M/V Iyanough due to the north slip being partially out of service, the Steamship Authority stated.

On the night of Sept. 30th, several passengers aboard the M/V Woods Hole reported being jolted in their seats as the Woods Hole was docking at the end of the trip from Hyannis. There was no wind at the time of the incident. By the next morning, it was clear the structure had lost a section of concrete, had rebar sticking out, and was leaning off-kilter.

This was the second time one of the dolphins at Steamboat Wharf has been impacted by a ferry and damaged in the last year and a half. The dolphins are designed to absorb impacts from Steamship Authority vessels while they are docking, but damage like what happened on Wednesday is rare.

In April 2025, a departing ferry impacted one of the dolphins at the north slip of Steamboat Wharf, causing the structure to collapse into the harbor. The 148,000-pound concrete dolphin caused a closure of the north slip, and had to be retrieved from the seafloor by a massive crane. The entire operation cost the Steamship Authority more than $400,000.

The collapsing dolphin was caught on video in 2025: 

The dolphin that was damaged this week appears to be the same one that collapsed and was replaced in 2025.

The structure is one of eleven at Steamboat Wharf that were installed decades ago to assist the Steamship Authority vessels while docking.

After consulting with the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Southeast New England and Nantucket Harbormaster Sheila Lucey, the Authority also stated it will place a hazard marker at the pipe pilings to warn mariners of the hazard to navigation.

The partial closure will continue until the dolphin can be fully inspected and the scope of the needed repairs can be determined.

"The Authority is conducting a thorough review of the incident, and it will release further information and service updates as it becomes available," the boat line stated.