An East Boothbay boatbuilder has landed a nearly $9 million contract to build a new ferry for the state.

Washburn & Doughty was awarded the $8.8 million contract Thursday by the Maine Department of Transportation.

The company was the only boatbuilder from Maine among the five bidders for the work.

The 154-foot ferry was designed by Gilbert Associates Inc., a naval architecture and marine engineering firm in Braintree, Massachusetts. It will be able to carry 23 cars or a mix of cars and trucks, and 250 passengers and can serve any of the Maine State Ferry Service islands except Matinicus.

“We are honored to have been selected to construct the new ferry service vessel for the Maine State Ferry Service,” said Katie Doughty Maddox, vice president of sales & marketing at Washburn & Doughty. “This contract will create jobs at our shipyard during its construction and we are proud to have our Maine workers building a vessel to serve Maine residents, businesses and visitors to our midcoast island communities.”

Washburn & Doughty was founded in East Boothbay in 1977 and specializes in the construction of steel and aluminum commercial vessels. In 1992 and 1993, Washburn & Doughty built three ferry vessels for the state ferry service that are still being used today.

The Maine State Ferry Service serves Vinalhaven, North Haven, Islesboro, Swan’s Island, Frenchboro and Matinicus islands.

Funding for the new vessel comes from state bonds, highway funds and federal funds.