Alaka'i headed to Guam?...What about the second Hull A-616?

There are a lot of reports now on this matter, but the following one was one of the more interesting ones yesterday:

See video at: http://www.khon2.com/news/local/41413552.html
By Gina Mangieri Mar 17, 2009

The Hawaii Superferry has released more than 230 employees and contractors, and sources say the Alakai will likely be leaving the islands.

Several sources confirm the ship owners are looking for a new home for the first vessel, eyeing places including Guam...

The Hawaii Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional the special law called Act 2 that overturned an injunction against Maui service without an environmental impact statement. As for the vessel being rerouted to Kauai instead, opponents there still say they'd stand in the way as they did in 2007.

Richard Hoeppner a Kauai Superferry Opponent said, "If you try to come back, you're going to see demonstrations, it's going to make August 27th (2007) look like a party."

...Meanwhile external auditors poured over company financials at headquarters.

The U.S. Maritime Administration that guaranteed funding for two superferry vessels told KHON2: "We are, of course, monitoring the situation closely, and, at the moment, the company is current on its debt service."

...Whether the second ship current assigned elsewhere could make a go of it here remains up in the air. That ship does not need the ramps that triggered the environmental hurdles.

The ramps were not the only thing that triggered the EIS. HSF Hull A-616 would not be able to escape an EIS needing to be done as a condition precedent to operations. You can send that idea back to the drawing board.

Aloha, Brad