Saturday, November 28, 2009

Hawaii interisland shipping news

Interesting blog post on interisland shipping...
like the dueling economists coverage in this piece:


http://bizbites.honadvblogs.com/2009/11/26/laissez-unfair/

Friday, November 20, 2009

Hey, Mike, what's happening with the Chapter 343 EIS?

From: http://www.starbulletin.com/columnists/20091120_Superferry_is_a_long_shot_to_return_to_island_waters.html

"We recognize the value that the ferries can provide Hawaii and are willing to work with transportation planners, providers and officials to advance proposals to use them in regular service in Hawaii," a MarAd spokesperson said recently.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Selling LCS technology overseas?

Selling 'Superferry' LCS technology overseas?
http://newwars.wordpress.com/2009/11/18/lcs-alternative-weekly-3/

Source: newwars.wordpress.com
The littoral combat ship Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Independence (LCS 2) pulls away from the pier for her acceptance trials at Austal USA in Mobile, Ala....

Monday, November 9, 2009

Batten down the hatches, boys!...

From: http://blog.al.com/live/2009/11/gov_riley_declares_state_of_em.html

"Updated with video: Gov. Riley declares state of emergency for Alabama as Ida approaches"
By Press-Register staff November 9, 2009

MOBILE, Ala. - Gov. Bob Riley today declared an official state of emergency in Alabama due to the imminent threat posed by Tropical Storm Ida. The emergency declaration enables the governor to invoke various emergency preparedness measures.

Gov. Bob Riley speaks at a dedication ceremony Monday, Nov. 9, 2009, at the Austal USA shipbuilding facility in Mobile, Ala. Riley used the dedication ceremony to announce that he has issued a state of emergency for Alabama as Tropical Storm Ida approaches. During a news briefing at shipbuilder Austal USA in Mobile, Riley urged Alabama residents to take the threat seriously and to follow the direction of local emergency managers for storm preparation.

"Based on the latest information I have seen, Alabama lies directly in the path of Tropical Storm Ida," Riley said...


State of Emergency declared for Ida

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Still available for sale...WHAT A DEAL!

From: http://www.marinebusiness-world.com/index.cfm?nid=62874

'The 102m trimaran is available for sale.' Click Here to view large photo

"Austal prepares to launch 102m trimaran"


Austal is preparing to launch its new 102 metre trimaran vehicle/passenger ferry platform at the company’s Western Australian shipyard.

The latest trimaran ferry builds on Austal’s landmark 2005 trimaran “Benchijigua Express” in every sense - optimising performance, seakeeping, fuel efficiency, passenger comfort and payload to deliver a truly next generation transportation solution.

With a maximum deadweight of 700 tonnes and a speed of up to 39 knots, the vessel is available for purchase.


By utilising Austal’s patented trimaran technology, the vessel combines the softer roll of monohulls with the low resistance, stability and carrying capacity of catamarans to open up new opportunities beyond those served by existing fast ferry designs. The trimaran’s lower roll speed means lower accelerations experienced by passengers –
significantly reducing passenger seasickness.

Austal Director – Global Sales and Marketing, Andrew Bellamy, said the vessel had already attracted significant worldwide interest ahead of its completion in February 2010.

“Many operators recognise this as a fantastic opportunity to have a state-of-the-art high speed commercial platform delivered and in service as early as March 2010, just five months from now,” Mr Bellamy said.


Austal’s 102 metre trimaran delivers enhanced performance in waves and better fuel economy.

“The enhanced seakeeping of this vessel will help operators offer better service on existing routes plus also begin operations on new routes where sea conditions had previously been too challenging. The possibilities for many operators a
re definitely exciting.”

At the heart of Austal’s new 102 metre trimaran are three MTU 20V 8000 Series diesel engines, which offer the world’s highest power-to-weight ratio in their power range and are established as a low risk propulsion engine option for many leading high speed ferry operators.

A seating layout that draws on Austal’s 20-year experience with a wide range of customer requirements can be customised to seat up to 1165 passe
ngers.

The extensive range of high quality onboard facilities includes two bar areas, a food preparation and service counter and a boutique gift store. Onboard amenities are designed to maximise accessibility and include wheelchair-accessible toilets, lift and four independent passenger entry points.

Passenger-friendly seating density ensures rows are limited to no more than three seats, increasing comfort and accessibility, which is imp
ortant during longer journeys. An outdoor seating area is also available.

The vehicle deck has space for 245 cars or 190 truck lane metres plus 145 cars. The stern is reinforced to accept a vehicle ramp if required. With flexibility in mind, the mezzanine deck is a mixture of fixed and hoistable decks that allow the carriage of up to 132 cars with a clear deck height of 2 metres. When hoisted there is a height on the main deck below of 4.3 metres and 2.3 metres when lowered. The trimaran’s unique hydrodynamic hullform combined with its three engine propulsion train delivers fuel efficiency ac
ross a range of operating conditions.

A speed of 39 knots (@ 90% MCR) is achieved with fuel consumption of 4.78 tonnes/hour.

A $50 to $60 Million the State of Hawaii could use about now...

From: http://parxnewsdaily.blogspot.com/2009/11/puppy-love.html

Monday, November 2, 2009

PUPPY LOVE: You can’t pick up a newspaper, watch the local TV news- or what passes for “Hawai`i News, Now”- or for that matter hold a conversation these days without someone bemoaning how our keiki are suffering by “missing out” on 17 instructional school days.

Everyone that is but the kids themselves. Oh sure the media has managed to scrounge-up a handful of Goody-Two-Shoes, “I’m gonna teeeeeell” types and stick cameras in their faces so they can parrot what their parents told them to say about “sacrificing our future” because a petty vindictive governor and a pompous and lazy legislature fiddle while education burns.

But move outside the ear-shot of the grown-up and ask any red-blooded kid- especially those who are bored to tears at this year’s “long division again” curriculum- and you’ll hear nothing but “Hip Hip Hooray for Furlough Fridays

They’re ecstatic about the fact that the so-called adults are so busy fighting over political considerations that they can’t come up with a lousy $60-85 million to keep the schools open despite the half-a-billion federal stimulus dollars that were supposed to be spent specially for education but instead went for everything but.

$60-85 million?... hmmmm- why does that number sound familiar?

Oh yeah- that’s the same range of the estimate of how much the self-same governor and legislature blew trying to pull a super-fast-one and ram the super-fast-tracked super-fast-Superferry down our gagging throats.

When you include not just the base $40 million bucks for the unneeded, now-useless harbor improvements but stuff like keeping the half-assed barge loading system running, the millions in legal fees and state-worker time and expenses as well as dozens of other costly incidentals, it comes out to... let’s see, divide by the arrogance, carry the corruption, multiply by the “legal bribe” corporate campaign contributions.... oh, around $60-85m.

So kiddies, the least you could do with all your free time is get busy writing to your military-madness-mindset-muddled senator, your Stepford Wife governor and your bought and paid for state legislative leadership and thank them for the gift of “Superferry Fridays.”

With any luck these dolts will figure out a way to fritter away another $60-85 million and make all weekends the three-day variety.