Steamship Freight Boat Breaks Loose From Dock In Woods Hole

The Steamship Authority's freight boat, the M/V Sankaty, broke loose from the dock at the boat line's Woods Hole terminal around 5 p.m. Thursday and drifted north a short distance before coming to a stop at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution's dock.

There were no injuries, and no damage was reported to the vessel or the dock. The incident is being investigated by the Steamship.

According to a statement shared by the Steamship, the vessel had been tied up for the day and was not in service at the time it broke free. There were no crew members, passengers, or vehicles aboard the boat.

"Thanks to the quick work of the Authority’s crews, the vessel has now been returned to its berth," the Steamship stated. "The vessel has been cleared to sail by the U.S. Coast Guard and will remain on its normal schedule on Friday. An engineer will remain on board overnight to monitor the vessel."

There were no canceled trips or other operational changes resulting from the incident.

"The Authority is reviewing the facts surrounding this event, and more information will be released as it is available," according to the boat line's statement.