Ferry Transportation

Hawaii Ferry (2007-2009): What is a Ferry?- A high-speed passenger and vehicle ferry-service operating between the islands. Ferries are commonly used for short to medium distances, such as crossing rivers, bays, and islands. Ferries can connect small islands or coastal towns, offering a more affordable and scenic way to travel compared to flying. Some ferry services cover longer distances, even overnight travel, and may include amenities like cabins, food, and entertainment. 

Challenges: Being in the Center of the Pacific the unique transportation is incredibly important to the island chain (archipelago). There are 137 islands, but only 4 were discussions for the fairy: Oahu, Kauai, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, and the Big Island. There is about 250 miles as the longest distance from Kauai to the Big Island and the only way to get interisland travel is from either Airline or Boat. There is no Ferry Service (Maritime Transportation) between the four highest populated islands with the exception of Maui-to-Lanai, so virtually all transportation is dominated by the Airlines.

History of Hawaii Ferry: 

Beginning: In the early 2001, the State of Hawaii and a private company launched an ambitious plan: to create a large ferry system that could carry both passengers and vehicles between the islands. This would solve a long-standing problem — interisland travel was, and still is, limited to planes or expensive cargo shipping. Flying is convenient for people, but moving a vehicle between islands can cost hundreds of dollars and take several days.

Overview: The Hawaii Superferry was designed to offer a more flexible alternative. The ships were classified as large vessels. Each could carry about 850–860 passengers and around 200 vehicles. A Round Trip on Super Ferry for just you would be $78 ($81.12 with tax. Round-Trip $39x2). Or both you and your car would typically cost between $200 ($298. 2025) and $300 ($447. 2025), which was considerably cheaper than shipping a car separately $400 (???.2025) to $500 (???.2025) or even buying a Round Trip plane ticket for yourself at $170 (. 2025).

Funding: 

Politics: The Lingle Administration (2002-2010): Linda Lingle (2002–2010), James "Duke" Aiona (2002–2010), Mark J. Bennett (2003–2010), Rodney Haraga (2003–2007), Brennon Morioka (2007–2010), Peter Young (2003–2007), Laura Thielen (2007–2010), and Genevieve Salmonson. 

Launch: The service officially launched in August 2007, initially connecting Oahu and Maui, with plans to expand to other islands. But almost immediately, the Superferry ran into fierce resistance. The State run by the Linda Lingle era had chosen to perform a less comprehensive Environmental Assessment (EA), instead of a Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), since other transportation in Hawaii did not need to comply from their status as a grandfathered Old Permits and bypass EIS.

Targeted EIS: Environmental groups raised concerns about the risk to marine life, the spread of invasive species, and the lack of a formal Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which were not-challenged to Inter-Island Shipping, Cruise Ships, or Yachts. The State argued that no EIS was necessary, claiming the Superferry was just another vessel like the cargo ships already operating in Hawaii. Shipping Companies that had been shipping cargo between the islands for decades, barges were part of the existing system, and those operations were long established before modern environmental review laws were as strict. That means Newly Built, New Ships, that go Fast need not comply if it's one of the Big Shipping companies. Because of these differences, the courts ruled the state should have completed a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) before letting the Superferry operate.

Losing How Much to Super Ferry: 

Shipping Industry: Inter-island Shipping companies like Horizon, Matson, Pasha, and Young Brothers had a lot at stake. Let's look at the inter-island shipping companies numbers for a bit. 

Container-Ships Mass Cargo that are: 340 feet length, cargo capacity 6000 tons (x300- 20 containers $300,000), loaded by crane, per car shipping $850-$1,400. 

Versus Super Ferry Cargo 340 feet, cargo capacity 1000 tons ($50,000), loaded by fork lift, per car shipping $850-$1,400. The Roll-on/roll-off vehicle transport for everyday drivers and businesses, operating as an ocean commuter ferry with its own cargo-holding, and it was faster which meant inter-island shipping could lose even more. Car Shipping Market alone is 20,000–30,000 vehicles annually. Vehicle Shipping: $1-2 million/year, Light Cargo / Freight $4-10 million/year, with a Total Impact of $5-12 million/year.

Airlines Industry: The Airline Revenues is not Publicly Available. However, Inter-Island Airline Cargo in Hawaii has an Annual Revenue totals to $100 million dollars ($149 million. 2025). (A.) Aloha Air Cargo [45%], Transair Cargo [15.5%], UPS [14.8%], Hawaiian Airlines [6.5%], Fed Ex [2.8%], Other Airliners [15.4%]. According to an ex-airlines worker in 2009 Baggage Charges accounts for an Annual $38.2 million ($56.7 million. 2025) stems from these routes. 

If the Superferry had succeeded, it could have reshaped Hawaii’s entire inter-island economy. But the deep pockets behind air and sea cargo, plus the lawsuit pressure, ultimately sank the company. Airlines generated $100+ million/year in inter-island freight and baggage (2009), Each Inter-Island shipper was estimated to lost $5-12 million/year in freight and baggage (2009). So with those considerations in mind fund, fund, fund, those willing to sue, sue, sue. No newcomers in this very controlled business environment.

Lawsuit Game of Cash: The Superferry was caught in a legal war kept alive by money— and in wars like this, money is often the deciding factor. Environmental lawsuits were backed by powerful well-financed interest groups, non-profits had a lot of federal money at the time, while legacy transportation companies, like airlines and shipping firms, had a lot to lose. In the end, those with the money to sue — and keep suing to keep the superferry battle in court controlled the outcome. With the opposition of special interest from outside of Hawaii having more money then the private company and limited Hawaii government funds the company declared bankruptcy later that year. 

Hawaii Supreme Court: (serving in 2008): Ronald T.Y. Moon (1993-2010), Paula A. Nakayama (993-2020), James E. Duffy, Jr. (2002-2018), Michael D. Wilson (2006-2020). The Hawaii Supreme Court ruled that the Superferry could not operate without a proper Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), even though other companies didn't have to have a current permit. So, in March 2009, the ferry was ordered to shut down. The ships were eventually sold to the U.S. military.

Hawaii Superferry Details

Brand Promise: The company promise was to Lower-Transportation Costs of Inter-Island Travel that was . Stop Heavy reliance on Airline-Cargo Flights. And to prevent a possible Monopoly of Maritime Barges. 

Founder of the Super Ferry "Tim Dick":  Tim Dick. MBA from Stanford University and a BS in Electrical Engineering from University of California Irvine. He was a Electrical Engineer (Beckman Instruments) developed the first electronic speech synthesizer. Principle at Boston Consulting Group. Partner at Startup Capital Ventures. Co-Founder Grassroots.com (1999). Founder of WorldPages.com (1995) which was to replace Residential & Business Paper Books in a mission to go paperless.  Co-Founder of TRUSTe.org for internet privacy, founding member of Reef Check Hawaii, member of the Hawaii Venture Capital Association.

Ferry Transported Goods: (A.) Hawaii Agriculture, The Hawaii Farmers, Industries to benefit would be Coffee, Nuts, Flowers, Indigenous Plant, Fruit (Banana, Papaya), Vegetable, Spices (Vanilla), and other vendors. (B.) The addition of also gaining the ability to transport "Refrigerated Trucks" makes a larger Hawaii Dairy Market for Hawaii Cheese, Hawaii Milk, Hawaii Yogurt, and Hawaii Ice Cream. (C.) Hawaii would gain the ability "Ferry Transported" at a lower cost through to further the Product reach, which would then expand the mom and pop local market from 200,000 customers with an addition 1 million customer base (Oahu Market) in Hawaii while lowering cost-risk-factor.

[Effected Areas: Big Island- Puna, Hilo, Honokaa, Kapaau, and the Hamakua coast]

Execution:

?: Were there great days and not so great days? how was it with a huge north swell? ?: Were people getting seasick and were cars getting banged up down below?

?: What did people think was the best part? seeing the pali and Kalaupapa of Molokai from sea level?

Complaints: "I'm on the big island and people will junk their cars here just like they did last time, but nowadays they do it anyway with barges."

Investigation: How Much would it cost to ensure a commitment to hiring from UPW with costs versus ideal costs (Endorsement).  

Types: Ferry's are defined from the size: (A.) Small, (B.) Medium, (C.) Large Ferry, (D.) Mega Ferry, (E.) Giga Ferry.

Ships: Cruise ships are not Ferry ships, defined from the size, their purposes are different as one transport passengers and the other is for entertaining passengers. The amount of resources needed and costs as well as waste is different for  local-transportation for commuters (workers), tourists (tourism), locals (families), and goods (shipping). In contrast, cruise ships are all about the leisure experience. They offer a floating vacation with entertainment, relaxation, and adventure as their main goals.

Cruise Ships: (A.) Small-Mid Ship [800-1,499 passengers], (B.) Mid-sized Ship [1,500-2,499 passengers], (C.) Large Ship [2,500-3,499 passengers], (D.) Mega Ship [3,500-7,000 passengers], (E.) Giga Ship.