HI Superferry and "15 knots" in court yesterday...

The Superferry and "15 knots" in court yesterday...

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Oct/05/ln/hawaii710050374.html

Posted on: Friday, October 5, 2007

Hawaii Superferry warns it must sail soon
By Christie Wilson, Advertiser Neighbor Island Editor

Quoting from the above article:

"NEED FOR SPEED

Garibaldi testified that if allowed by Cardoza to resume service, the company would accept a court condition to adopt the practices during the entire time it takes the state to complete the assessment, not just during whale season. But he said the Hawaii Superferry would not be able to work with a court-imposed speed restriction of 15 knots, in the range recommended by marine mammal experts to reduce the risk of whale strikes and the severity of injuries to any animals that are hit.

The company tariff approved by the state Public Utilities Commission set a schedule of one daily roundtrip each between Honolulu and Maui, and Honolulu and Kaua'i. The sailing time for each one-way leg is set at three hours.

Garibaldi said the schedule was based on the ferry's cruising speed of 37 knots, or about 43 mph.

If forced to slow to 15 knots, Garibaldi said the company would not be in compliance with its tariff, and would not be able to make its two daily roundtrips. "Our business plan wouldn't be a viable business plan," he said."

And another place that 10 to 15 knots speed limit has recently shown up: http://www.saveourseas.org/SlowOurSuperferry.htm

I'll just comment what should be obvious. The PUC can approve a different tariff and travel schedule for the HI Superferry. A 15 knots speed limit is an outstanding idea that the judge could use, and that is precisely why Garibaldi felt compelled to comment on it now.

Aloha, Brad