From: http://cgmarinesafety.blogspot.com/2009/12/hawaii-superferryinformation-sharing.html
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
"The Hawaii Superferry—information sharing leads to operational success"
Posted by USCG Proceedings of the MSSC
Excerpt from U.S. Coast Guard “Proceedings of the Marine Safety & Security Council” magazine. By CAPT Vince Atkins, former commander, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Honolulu, and ENS Meghan Hough, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Honolulu.
Hawaii Superferry (HSF) came to Hawaii to start a high-speed ferry service between the Hawaiian islands of Oahu, Maui, and Kauai. The Superferry vessel, the Alakai, is a 350-foot high-speed catamaran designed to carry 866 passengers and 282 vehicles.
A Hostile Operating Environment
Citizens and environmental groups opposed to this new service voiced several concerns, citing Alakai’s lack of an environmental impact study, the possibility of increased traffic congestion, and the potential for introducing invasive species and harming marine life.
Alakai’s initial operations were greeted by an estimated 300 protestors in Kauai, endangering public safety at sea and ashore...
Unique Challenges...
Achieving Interagency Alignment...
Execution of the Operation...
For more information:
Full article and “Focus on Safety” edition of USCG Proceedings is available at www.uscg.mil/proceedings. Click on “archives” and then “2008 Vol. 65, Number 2," pp. 16-19 (Summer 2008).
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4 comments:
Interesting that the article talks about "Execution of the Operation" and "Operational Success" [on Maui] regarding a supposed "Hostile Operating Environment" [on Kauai], but the two were different situations. HSF did not have any 'operational success' going back into Kauai, and the Coast Guard never experienced any 'hostile operating environment' going into Maui. The two were two different situations.
In the end it was shown that HSF and the Unified Command ignored a legally binding Hawaii State Supreme Court decision issued days before HSF started its first operations. Just because the Governor and Hawaii AG told law enforcement it was legal, did not make it so.
The People were correct all along.
Also, read the article "Coast Guard's ferry security tab tops $600,000" by Christie Wilson, Honolulu Advertiser Jan. 2009.
These operations cost the Coast Guard $600,000 [not including DLNR costs] for NO security concern protests on Maui, expected or otherwise.
And, that was for the Coast Guard/DOT to protect a mostly MARAD/DOT financed vessel...
Agree their position statement makes the USCG look incompetent and trying to save face.
On the other hand, Coast Guard rescue a lot of folks so they cannot all be tarred with the same brush.
On the other-other hand I rescued an adrift sailboat in Nawiliwili with a group of other sailors long before the USCG got staff to their base. http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2006/08/08/news/news03.txt
Thanks, "Kimo." I found that 2006 article interesting.
Hope the Huakai doesn't get trashed on it's next mission. They need to think about how exactly they will use it, not to depreciate the hell out of it.
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