encountered this error while just trying to enter the boat that one can research first.

Error while running event cargo-ships::on_player_driving_changed_state (ID 34)
LuaEntity belongs to surface suffear_car_27534 (index 3) but a LuaEntity belonging to surface nauvis (index 1) was expected.
stack traceback:
[C]: in function 'set_driver'
cargo-ships/logic/ship_enter.lua:30: in function 'vehicle_enter'
cargo-ships/logic/ship_enter.lua:109: in function <cargo-ships/logic/ship_enter.lua:90>
stack traceback:
[C]: in function 'set_driver'
cargo-ships/logic/ship_enter.lua:30: in function 'vehicle_enter'
cargo-ships/logic/ship_enter.lua:84: in function <cargo-ships/logic/ship_enter.lua:37>

Can you share the save file where this happens please? Surface "suffear_car_27534" is added by another mod that may be interfering with cargo ships.