Dick Mayer noticed this and forwarded it. It's in the paper of record today.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/12/us/12whales.html?hp
The New York Times
Saturday, April 12, 2008
"Even the Whales Have Their Predators: Ships"
By SHAILA DEWAN
"OFF THE GEORGIA COAST — On a day so clear the ocean, from certain angles, is nothing but a field of glare, a team of spotters in a Twin Otter airplane flies a precise grid pattern, looking for North Atlantic right whales in the warm, shallow waters they use as their winter calving ground.
The goal is not scientific but protective: to keep ships from hitting the slow-moving, endangered whales as they creep along their coast-hugging migratory route, passing in view of the last remaining undeveloped barrier islands that flank the southern Georgia coast.
A beeper notifies the spotters that seven adult whales have just been sighted by another team in the waters off Charleston, S.C. The news is not particularly comforting to Patricia Naessig, the right whale aerial survey coordinator for the Wildlife Trust, which operates such flights here under public contract.
“They still have a bit of a gantlet to pass,” Ms. Naessig said over the headset she wore to communicate above the noise of the plane’s engines. “There’s a huge amount of shipping interests in Charleston Harbor.”
Ships are one of the two leading causes of unnatural death among right whales, and scientists have warned that the unnatural death of even one breeding female has the potential to tip the species toward extinction. From 2002 to 2006, there were 17 confirmed deaths by ship strike, at least six involving adult females.
In an effort to stop the fatalities, the National Marine Fisheries Service has tried to impose speed limits on ships within 30 miles of port. But the White House has delayed approval of the rule, which is opposed by some shipping companies.
The White House Office of Management and Budget is supposed to review federal agencies’ rule proposals within 90 days, with an optional 30-day extension. In the case of the right whale ship strike rule, it has been more than a year.
“Agencies are doing due diligence to develop a balanced rule that is effective in protecting endangered species,” said Jane K. Lee, a spokeswoman for the budget office. Ms. Lee declined to explain the rule review process or answer questions about the 90-day deadline.
The North Atlantic right whale, which grows to more than 60 feet and is black with distinctive white markings, is the state marine mammal of Georgia and could be called America’s own whale. The hunting of it in the 1800s bolstered the success of the country’s whaling industry, but depleted the stock so severely that hunting it was banned in 1935.
The remaining whales, now rare, travel the Atlantic coast from the Bay of Fundy to Cape Cod to Florida, a habit that has made them vulnerable to ship strikes and another lethal problem, entanglement in fishing gear.
Particularly at risk are the females that come south starting in early winter to give birth and nurse. The mothers do not feed while calving or producing the thousands of gallons of milk it takes to nourish their young, and that leaves them in a weakened state for their return journey, beginning in early spring.
It was only about 25 years ago, after dead calves began washing up on Southern beaches, that scientists learned that right whales used this area as a nursery, said Barb Zoodsma, right whale recovery program coordinator in the Southeast regional office of the fisheries service, an agency of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
For nearly 20 years, the fisheries service has tried various methods of protecting the right whales, like recommending shipping-route changes and radioing ships to notify them of whale sightings. The aerial surveys off the Florida, Georgia and South Carolina coasts alone cost $1.5 million a year in taxpayer money.
But the effect of the measures, especially those where compliance is voluntary, has been limited. A 2005 study showed that 95 percent of ships notified of whale sightings failed to slow down or skirt the area.
After a three-year deliberative process that included the efforts of working groups, environmental and economic impact statements, and more than 5,000 public comments, the fisheries service proposed that during whale season, which varies by region, ships greater than 65 feet be limited to 10 knots as they near port.
Ship companies, port authorities, pilot associations, the Navy and even operators of whale watch tours have opposed the rule, saying that the permitted speed would be too low for safe steerage, that foreign vessels cannot be forced to follow American speed limits or that the restriction would cost too much.
The Georgia Ports Authority asked how the agency could “responsibly justify putting the entire economic burden for compliance with speed restrictions on 100 percent of the oceangoing commercial fleet when, at best, it may be responsible for less than 50 percent of the collisions?”
(The rule would exempt Navy and Coast Guard vessels, which are already supposed to take steps to protect the whales under the Endangered Species Act. Nor would it apply to smaller vessels, a source of growing concern among some experts. Whales have been fatally hit by recreational boats, and the experts fear that increasing development on the Georgia coast, including a proposal for an 800-boat marina that would be the state’s largest, will only make calving season more hazardous.)
The World Shipping Council, an organization of mostly foreign-owned ship operators, has protested that there is not enough proof that reducing speed also reduces collisions. The council offers its own models that show speeding up lowers the chances of a whale strike.
Environmentalists are skeptical.
'The argument they’re using is, well, the faster they go, the faster they’re in and out of the way,' said Vicki Cornish, vice president for marine wildlife conservation at the Ocean Conservancy, which supports the rule. 'So let’s put speeding cars in front of a school so they’re in and out of the way before they hit a child.'"
Aloha, Brad
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Friday, April 11, 2008
Oh my God...
On 4/10/08, was the definitive radio show thusfar on the Superferry. It was hosted by Katy, Jimmy, and Jonathan all of Kauai. They interviewed people with firsthand experience on the matter of the vessel's construction and drydock repairs. There was so much mentioned in the interview that I didn't feel worthy of reporting on it until I listen to it again and read the transcript. Thankfully, for now, Joan has done an initial report on it at Superferry Damage: Da Inside Scoop. Keep an eye on this one...
Aloha, Brad
Aloha, Brad
Review of HSF Structural Design by Juan Wilson
Image above: Stern view of the Alakai in Mobile AL as published in HSF onboard Magazine HahaluaNote: Complexity of transom area where jets, Humphree devises and rudder intersect
FROM: http://www.islandbreath.org/
Structural Design of Hawaii Superferry
by Juan Wilson on 8 April 2008
A WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING
The Hawaiian Superferry Alakai was built for the HSF Corporation by Austal USA in Mobile Alabama. This is a subsidiary of the Australian ship builder. The company that designed and constructed it was the American division of Australian ship builder Austal USA. The Alakai was one of two sister ships in a contract costing approximately $180 million dollars.
When Austal was first consulted to design a civilian ferry operation in Hawaii, they recommended a smaller ship than today’s Alakai. This was due to the fuel efficiency needed to make its operation profitable. Austal was over-ruled. The Alakai is the largest all-aluminum hull built in the U.S. It has four ten-thousand horsepower diesel turbines to provide thrust. It is not unlike a high performance fighter jet in is configuration. It uses a similar structural premise:
Create a series of light metal frames and “skin” them with a thin metal sheets that produce a aerodynamic (or hydrodynamic) form. At the rear-end provide much turbine thrust as is possible, regardless of price, and train some pilots to keep these craft from crashing into things.
It is clear that the connection of this project to navel strategic planning negatively affected the ships implementation as a civilian ferry. But, the board of the Superferry corporation was stacked with Navy representatives, which includes its chairman, former Reagan Navy Secretary, John F Lehman. For the past three decades Lehman has pushed for a doubling the number of Navy vessels and creating a new kind of warship fleet in the process.
From the beginning the Hawaii Superferry’s core function has not been to be a profitable private ferryboat business. It is, in fact a working prototype of what Lehman has been dreaming about for a military Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV). This explains why the partnership with the Army’s Stryker Brigade and Navy are an integral parts of the HSF planning. In the need to satisfy the Navy, Army and civilian specifications, the Superferry may have become badly compromised.
THE FLOATING BRICK
This has happened many times when a new weapons platform has had to fulfill too many promises. It certainly happened with the F-18 Fighter/Bomber which was laid at Lehman door. He knows something about getting something you don’t want shoved down your throat. In the fall 1982 Mary Ann McGivern wrote about the F-18 program in The St. Louis Economic Conversion Project (page 199 of (http://sdi.sagepub.com/cgi/pdf_extract/14/2/199):
“The plane was designed as a cheap compromise for the Navy and Marines each having their own air support (needs)... One gets the sense that the F-18 has been thrust upon the Navy... Secretary Lehman threatened to cancel the contract unless McDonnell-Douglas’ price went down instead of up... The Navy says the plane is not a good attack vehicle... it had too much roll, too much fuel consumption, too heavy, not enough cruise range, and troubles with the fuselage. McDonald-Douglas (The builder) says that a lot of the Navy's criticisms, including the current ones, are of factors that were never in the design specifications. Such a reasonable response will not make the Navy like the plane.”
The F-18 earned it enmity of the Navy and their complaints about it sounds a lot like a description of the Superferry JHSV. A “floating brick” instead a “flying brick”Lehman and his Navy cronies went ahead designing their JHSV anyway. Austal did what it was told. For example, with a few tricks (like providing no on-board vehicle ramps) they got around the necessity of a DOT triggered EIS requirement.
BLIND MEN FIND AN ELEPHANT
Austal used several individual computer software packages to engineer the form-factor, structure, performance and details of the vessel. [...] For more see: http://www.austal.com/go/design-and-technology/design-and-technology#structural
It is clear that, as with most modern engineering programs, many design components have to be handled with separate computer software packages. “Virtual” ships have to be built and tested as theoretical models for each package. Integration between software packages may, or may not exist. When a single company provides specialized integration between two of its products, things often work smoothly. That would be the case with MaxSurf and HydroMax that are both provided by Marine Survey and Design Company to work with each other ineractively. This may not be the case with results of integration between Shipflow and Hydromax.
It is not dissimilar situation to several blind men coming across an elephant and each “seeing” a different beast based on that part of the elephant his hands have touched. Not only will they see different animals, but the blind men may never reach all parts of the elephant. As a result they could be very surprised when confronted with unknown features.
Individual software programs can have the same failure of observation. This is likely in complicated projects with many parts that are pushed to the limits on tight schedules.
ROCKET PROPELLED EGGSHELL
It is my opinion that too much stuff is going on in the narrow confines of the stern of each catamaran hull. The transom of each is penetrated with two wide diameter water-jet thrusters that swivel to steer the ship. There are also penetrations for hydraulically operated Humphree devices (steering brakes) as well as a penetration of the hull between the water jets for a rudder shaft.
This complexity of systems for steering the Superferry are to keep the large hull from slewing and fishtailing as it tears through the ocean. It is likely that a smaller ship operating a lower speed would have been able to use a simpler set of controls. Each of these steering device’s “violates” the integrity of the hull and will cause hot spots of stress when the ship is twisted, bent and shocked by a succession of massive waves that are found throughout the Hawaiian Islands during much of the year. Metal fatigues, yields and fails under such repetitive conditions. Misfortunes that have been publicly reported include:
Misfortune #1: The first failure were at the seams around the rudder post penetrations. These rudders were not so much used for steering as for stability through the water. Stress on the posts created cracks that allowed some water to enter the ferry's hull. This was how they realized there was a problem - leaks. The ship would have to go to dry dock for repairs.
Misfortune #2: More bad things began to happen. In the process of getting the Superferry to the dry dock it was run aground. A push by a tug would be needed to free it. The tug operator gave the Superferry a shove and was surprised to have caved in a twenty foot section of the hull. Too delicate.
Misfortune #3: The trouble was not over. Once in the dry dock facility the Superferry keel was blocked in preparation to support itself out of the water. Some of the blocking was not precisely line on on framing points and when the Superferry was raised out of the water its keel failed to support the ship’s own weight and portions of the hull failed.
Overall, the results of the design program made for a Superferry that was too big and too fragile a vessel. It has too much speed and fuel consumption for the routes it would sail. The Superferry was guaranteed never be profitable as a civilian ferry. But worse, it would never be robust enough to handle the open Pacific swells it would find itself plying.
And, sadly for Mr. Lehman, this Superferry will not meet the rigors of military duty. It is designed like an eggshell with a rocket engine. I’m sure there are many changes that will be made if Austal get the next JHSV design contract. They sure will have the advantage of having been paid to build a full scale working model and testing it on some guinea pigs who live out in the middle of nowhere.
-------------------------
Very nice work by Juan,
Aloha, Brad
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
HI Superferry: A few points today 4/9/08
First, I just have to comment on this point I noticed yesterday.
Regarding HSF Routes
About the routes that HSF proposes, the one that hasn't been done yet is from Honolulu to the Big Island, Kawaihae. It is about 165 miles and at the ferry's speed would take at least 4 hrs and 20 minutes one-way to traverse. I gotta ask how realistic is that as an out and back route? That is more than twice the cost effective distance for this vessel with the same load of revenue generating passengers, cargo, etc. Anyway, there is more to this, but I have been told to keep it to myself for now.
Lehman Comparing Hawaii to the Canary Islands
From: http://www.hidili.com/products/25785-Hahalua/pdf/secure/Hahalua-070801-011.pdf
"Lehman...his research showed that the Canary Islands, which are similar in size, population and distant location, have five [fast] ferries operating profitably."
I will also say that I checked the transit distances in the Canary Islands and the main route there is about 60 miles with other possible routes of 75 miles and a max of 90 miles. This is significant because with this type of vessel with its 4+ engines, fuel burned beyond two hours with the same revenue generating passengers and cargo becomes cost ineffective beyond 2 hours or about 70 to 75 miles. Here is a link describing the times involved of the ferry routes in the Canary Islands; the additional two longest routes there are 2 hours each.
I also checked Trinidad and Tobago and again the main route distance there is 40 miles with the longest route being 75 miles.
HSF and Cargo?
http://starbulletin.com/2008/04/09/business/story01.html
This was an interesting article. It may be true that the Superferry would be more useful as a cargo ship than as a heavily used passenger vessel in Hawaiian waters given the problem with wind, waves, and seasickness. But, I found two quotes very telling in the article.
First, "A 40-foot truck currently costs $866 full on the Superferry, in addition to a $39 passenger cost, while it costs $57.38, or $0.0383 per pound, for a local farmer to ship 1,500 pounds of cabbage on a pallet from Kahului to Honolulu via a refrigerated container on Young Brothers." There is no comparison here. At those rates the Superferry is way too expensive for most businesses regarding cargo.
Also, "David Amble, who last year completed an audit of the Washington state ferry system, said, 'People who are living on the islands in the Puget Sound, they like the convenience of the ferry but they like the convenience of pulling up the gate on the end of the day,' he said. 'If you live on an island you don't have to worry about everybody else coming into your world.'" Sounds like that could be applied to the Hawaiian islands too.
Alakai's Second Leg Each Day?
Also, based on a quote Garibaldi gave on Monday to the Honolulu Advertiser, "Garibaldi projected that consideration of a Kaua'i route wouldn't come until 'months' after Maui service resumed," [only months?] it can be determined what HSF will attempt to do with Alakai's second daily route/s throughout each week. We'll mention that later.
For now though, here was a good letter to the editor today in the Maui News. This is a good idea too: http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/502369.html?nav=18
"Ferry would be better fit in Puget Sound"
POSTED: April 9, 2008
"I see in The Maui News that the infamous Superferry is making its bimonthly debut. Since most everyone in Hawaii is against it, why doesn’t the Superferry move to the Pacific Northwest where it would be greeted with open arms?
I can also say that the ferry system in the Seattle area is in dire need of an upgrade and what better than the Superferry. It would cut time in half with the commutes in the Puget Sound area.
I’m sure the great people in the Northwest would accept it with very little complaints, and look how much they would save on gas."
Brian Stoneburner
Lahaina
Aloha, Brad
Regarding HSF Routes
About the routes that HSF proposes, the one that hasn't been done yet is from Honolulu to the Big Island, Kawaihae. It is about 165 miles and at the ferry's speed would take at least 4 hrs and 20 minutes one-way to traverse. I gotta ask how realistic is that as an out and back route? That is more than twice the cost effective distance for this vessel with the same load of revenue generating passengers, cargo, etc. Anyway, there is more to this, but I have been told to keep it to myself for now.
Lehman Comparing Hawaii to the Canary Islands
From: http://www.hidili.com/products/25785-Hahalua/pdf/secure/Hahalua-070801-011.pdf
"Lehman...his research showed that the Canary Islands, which are similar in size, population and distant location, have five [fast] ferries operating profitably."
I will also say that I checked the transit distances in the Canary Islands and the main route there is about 60 miles with other possible routes of 75 miles and a max of 90 miles. This is significant because with this type of vessel with its 4+ engines, fuel burned beyond two hours with the same revenue generating passengers and cargo becomes cost ineffective beyond 2 hours or about 70 to 75 miles. Here is a link describing the times involved of the ferry routes in the Canary Islands; the additional two longest routes there are 2 hours each.
I also checked Trinidad and Tobago and again the main route distance there is 40 miles with the longest route being 75 miles.
HSF and Cargo?
http://starbulletin.com/2008/04/09/business/story01.html
This was an interesting article. It may be true that the Superferry would be more useful as a cargo ship than as a heavily used passenger vessel in Hawaiian waters given the problem with wind, waves, and seasickness. But, I found two quotes very telling in the article.
First, "A 40-foot truck currently costs $866 full on the Superferry, in addition to a $39 passenger cost, while it costs $57.38, or $0.0383 per pound, for a local farmer to ship 1,500 pounds of cabbage on a pallet from Kahului to Honolulu via a refrigerated container on Young Brothers." There is no comparison here. At those rates the Superferry is way too expensive for most businesses regarding cargo.
Also, "David Amble, who last year completed an audit of the Washington state ferry system, said, 'People who are living on the islands in the Puget Sound, they like the convenience of the ferry but they like the convenience of pulling up the gate on the end of the day,' he said. 'If you live on an island you don't have to worry about everybody else coming into your world.'" Sounds like that could be applied to the Hawaiian islands too.
Alakai's Second Leg Each Day?
Also, based on a quote Garibaldi gave on Monday to the Honolulu Advertiser, "Garibaldi projected that consideration of a Kaua'i route wouldn't come until 'months' after Maui service resumed," [only months?] it can be determined what HSF will attempt to do with Alakai's second daily route/s throughout each week. We'll mention that later.
For now though, here was a good letter to the editor today in the Maui News. This is a good idea too: http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/502369.html?nav=18
"Ferry would be better fit in Puget Sound"
POSTED: April 9, 2008
"I see in The Maui News that the infamous Superferry is making its bimonthly debut. Since most everyone in Hawaii is against it, why doesn’t the Superferry move to the Pacific Northwest where it would be greeted with open arms?
I can also say that the ferry system in the Seattle area is in dire need of an upgrade and what better than the Superferry. It would cut time in half with the commutes in the Puget Sound area.
I’m sure the great people in the Northwest would accept it with very little complaints, and look how much they would save on gas."
Brian Stoneburner
Lahaina
Aloha, Brad
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Extended Barf-O-Meter Forecast
Spent some spare time today looking at scheduling and routes, particularly the out and back routes that HSF does/would use. I also looked at the distances of fast ferry transits in the Canary Islands, because John Lehman recently commented on that in the on-board magazine, and also looked at the distances involved in Trinidad and Tobago because it is where the Lynx was redeployed and where fast ferries have been successful. I came up with some good rebuttals, but even better I came up with some new original problem-solving proposals. I have been advised to sit on those solutions for a while.
Instead, for now I see that there has been a lot of news today about "barfing." There were good Maui News and Honolulu Star Bulletin articles of which Larry Geller covered well:
http://disappearednews.com/2008/04/maui-news-breaks-press-silence-on.html
So, I thought I would do a quick B-O-M extended forecast for any passenger vessels on these routes based on NOAA data:
KAIWI CHANNEL-342 PM HST THU NOAA AS OF APR 10 2008
FRIDAY:East winds 20 kt. Wind waves 7 ft. BOM Level 3 Somewhat Likely Seasickness
SATURDAY:Northeast winds 20 kt. Wind waves 8 ft. BOM Level 3 Somewhat Likely Ss.
SUNDAY:Northeast winds to 25 kt. Wind waves 9 ft. BOM Level 4 Likely Seasickness
MONDAY:East winds to 25 kt. Wind waves 9to11 ft. BOM Level 4 Likely Seasickness
TUESDAY:East winds 20 kt. Wind waves 7 ft. BOM Level 3 Somewhat Likely Seasickness
PAILOLO CHANNEL-342 PM HST THU NOAA AS OF APR 10 2008
FRIDAY:Northeast winds 20 kt. Wind waves 8 ft. BOM Level 3 Somewhat Likely Seasickness
SATURDAY:Northeast winds 20 kt. Wind waves 8 ft. BOM Level 3 Somewhat Likely Ss.
SUNDAY:Northeast winds to 25 kt. Wind waves 9 ft. BOM Level 4 Likely Seasickness
MONDAY:East winds to 25 kt. Wind waves 10to11 ft. BOM Level 4 Likely Seasickness
TUESDAY:East winds 20 kt. Wind waves 8 ft. BOM Level 3 Somewhat Likely Seasickness
Hope it helps,
Aloha, Brad
Instead, for now I see that there has been a lot of news today about "barfing." There were good Maui News and Honolulu Star Bulletin articles of which Larry Geller covered well:
http://disappearednews.com/2008/04/maui-news-breaks-press-silence-on.html
So, I thought I would do a quick B-O-M extended forecast for any passenger vessels on these routes based on NOAA data:
KAIWI CHANNEL-342 PM HST THU NOAA AS OF APR 10 2008
FRIDAY:East winds 20 kt. Wind waves 7 ft. BOM Level 3 Somewhat Likely Seasickness
SATURDAY:Northeast winds 20 kt. Wind waves 8 ft. BOM Level 3 Somewhat Likely Ss.
SUNDAY:Northeast winds to 25 kt. Wind waves 9 ft. BOM Level 4 Likely Seasickness
MONDAY:East winds to 25 kt. Wind waves 9to11 ft. BOM Level 4 Likely Seasickness
TUESDAY:East winds 20 kt. Wind waves 7 ft. BOM Level 3 Somewhat Likely Seasickness
PAILOLO CHANNEL-342 PM HST THU NOAA AS OF APR 10 2008
FRIDAY:Northeast winds 20 kt. Wind waves 8 ft. BOM Level 3 Somewhat Likely Seasickness
SATURDAY:Northeast winds 20 kt. Wind waves 8 ft. BOM Level 3 Somewhat Likely Ss.
SUNDAY:Northeast winds to 25 kt. Wind waves 9 ft. BOM Level 4 Likely Seasickness
MONDAY:East winds to 25 kt. Wind waves 10to11 ft. BOM Level 4 Likely Seasickness
TUESDAY:East winds 20 kt. Wind waves 8 ft. BOM Level 3 Somewhat Likely Seasickness
Hope it helps,
Aloha, Brad
Monday, April 7, 2008
HI Superferry: Back from Drydock 4/7/08
Today's pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21400600@N03/sets/72157604432760220/
Vessel came in 30 minutes early today, "sick and fast" a reporter onboard called it. First day back from a few weeks of drydock. CG helicopter came in first at a few hundred feet altitude and buzzed the harbor and some of Kahului with two circles and left. Missed the pic as I was still driving. CG patrol boat not based on Maui attended Alakai into the harbor.
Offloading from Oahu: Less than 15 cars (I counted 12 and an onboard reporter also mentioned 12 to a Maui Tomorrow rep). Offloading 40 people with at least 5 visible staying on the vessel for a total of about 45 people. Disembarking included 1 dog, 1 car packed to the gills, and at least 1 regular commercial customer.
Onloading from Maui: 15 cars, 1 motorcycle. Could not count people onloading, but company reporting has averaged 3 people per car in the past...for an estimate of 45 people onloading.
The company would have incurred at least $15,000 to $20,000 of fuel expenses uncovered by revenue on the round trip today.
KGMB9 and KHON were on the vessel filming. Should have reports from them on TV tonight.
KPOA and Maui TV News were filming onshore and should have reports from them online soon.
KHON reporter reported to have gotten seasick, and their cameraman did not feel good, but did not report getting seasick. KGMB9 evening news reported some passengers getting seasick in what were relatively calm seas, [B-O-M Level 3, Beaufort Force 5].
Aloha, Brad
Vessel came in 30 minutes early today, "sick and fast" a reporter onboard called it. First day back from a few weeks of drydock. CG helicopter came in first at a few hundred feet altitude and buzzed the harbor and some of Kahului with two circles and left. Missed the pic as I was still driving. CG patrol boat not based on Maui attended Alakai into the harbor.
Offloading from Oahu: Less than 15 cars (I counted 12 and an onboard reporter also mentioned 12 to a Maui Tomorrow rep). Offloading 40 people with at least 5 visible staying on the vessel for a total of about 45 people. Disembarking included 1 dog, 1 car packed to the gills, and at least 1 regular commercial customer.
Onloading from Maui: 15 cars, 1 motorcycle. Could not count people onloading, but company reporting has averaged 3 people per car in the past...for an estimate of 45 people onloading.
The company would have incurred at least $15,000 to $20,000 of fuel expenses uncovered by revenue on the round trip today.
KGMB9 and KHON were on the vessel filming. Should have reports from them on TV tonight.
KPOA and Maui TV News were filming onshore and should have reports from them online soon.
KHON reporter reported to have gotten seasick, and their cameraman did not feel good, but did not report getting seasick. KGMB9 evening news reported some passengers getting seasick in what were relatively calm seas, [B-O-M Level 3, Beaufort Force 5].
Aloha, Brad
Sunday, April 6, 2008
HI Superferry: HSF "In-flight" Magazine
http://www.hidili.com/products/25785-Hahalua/25785-info.html
Wow, this is interesting to see who on Maui and Kauai are advertising in it, and for the barge company and some involved banking interest ads. Also, quite impressive for it's glossy look. The articles trying to associate itself with Hawaiian history are interesting in their historical aggrandizement.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Dick Mayer
Subject: Hawaii Superferry's 52 page 'in-flight' magazine
Date: Sun, 6 Apr 2008
Since you will probably never take a trip on the Superferry,
here is the Hawaii Superferry's 52 page 'in-flight' magazine.
http://www.hidili.com/products/25785-Hahalua/25785-info.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Aloha, Brad
Wow, this is interesting to see who on Maui and Kauai are advertising in it, and for the barge company and some involved banking interest ads. Also, quite impressive for it's glossy look. The articles trying to associate itself with Hawaiian history are interesting in their historical aggrandizement.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Dick Mayer
Subject: Hawaii Superferry's 52 page 'in-flight' magazine
Date: Sun, 6 Apr 2008
Since you will probably never take a trip on the Superferry,
here is the Hawaii Superferry's 52 page 'in-flight' magazine.
http://www.hidili.com/products/25785-Hahalua/25785-info.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Aloha, Brad
HI Superferry: MIT Masters Thesis on this issue
I was reviewing the Break Even Analysis on this, see:
Part 1: http://hisuperferry.blogspot.com/2007/11/hi-superferry-break-even.html
Part 2: http://hisuperferry.blogspot.com/2007/11/hi-superferry-break-even-analysis.html
Part 3: http://hisuperferry.blogspot.com/2007/11/hi-superferry-break-even_21.html
Part 4: http://hisuperferry.blogspot.com/2007/11/hi-superferry-break-even_22.html
In that process, I came across the following thesis again. I actually mentioned it in my testimony on Act. 2 to the Belt Collins BA's, but I think it went "in one ear and out the other." This thesis is about selection of type of ferry vessel based upon things like route, conditions, speed, engine power, fuel consumption, etc. It is exactly what was not done appropriately here.
A very interesting MIT Masters Degree thesis on ferry selection. I cite it here:
"Assessing High Speed Waterborne (HSW) Services, Based on Synthetic Aspects of Route Characteristics, Transport Economy, and Vessel Performance"
http://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/1721.1/36092/1/41094021.pdf
LEONIDAS M. TH. KAMBANIS File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat...break even analysis...'Superferry II'......dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/1721.1/36092/1/41094021.pdf
Leonidas Kambanis did another thesis for a second Masters Degree at MIT that is also very interesting. It is "Analysis and Modeling of Power Transmitting Systems for Advanced Marine Vehicles" http://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/1721.1/36067/1/33950380.pdf
And is about the selection of propulsion systems for advanced marine vehicles taking into consideration design, cost-benefit, and propulsion for the needed purpose.
It is my belief that a commercial ferry for Hawaii should have about half the engine power of the Alakai and burn about half its fuel from a cost-benefit standpoint, given the route distances involved here. And that the design sould be a trimaran along the lines of Incat designs rather than the catamaran design of the Alakai, esp. for JHSV purposes. More on this later.
Aloha, Brad
Part 1: http://hisuperferry.blogspot.com/2007/11/hi-superferry-break-even.html
Part 2: http://hisuperferry.blogspot.com/2007/11/hi-superferry-break-even-analysis.html
Part 3: http://hisuperferry.blogspot.com/2007/11/hi-superferry-break-even_21.html
Part 4: http://hisuperferry.blogspot.com/2007/11/hi-superferry-break-even_22.html
In that process, I came across the following thesis again. I actually mentioned it in my testimony on Act. 2 to the Belt Collins BA's, but I think it went "in one ear and out the other." This thesis is about selection of type of ferry vessel based upon things like route, conditions, speed, engine power, fuel consumption, etc. It is exactly what was not done appropriately here.
A very interesting MIT Masters Degree thesis on ferry selection. I cite it here:
"Assessing High Speed Waterborne (HSW) Services, Based on Synthetic Aspects of Route Characteristics, Transport Economy, and Vessel Performance"
http://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/1721.1/36092/1/41094021.pdf
LEONIDAS M. TH. KAMBANIS File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat...break even analysis...'Superferry II'......dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/1721.1/36092/1/41094021.pdf
Leonidas Kambanis did another thesis for a second Masters Degree at MIT that is also very interesting. It is "Analysis and Modeling of Power Transmitting Systems for Advanced Marine Vehicles" http://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/1721.1/36067/1/33950380.pdf
And is about the selection of propulsion systems for advanced marine vehicles taking into consideration design, cost-benefit, and propulsion for the needed purpose.
It is my belief that a commercial ferry for Hawaii should have about half the engine power of the Alakai and burn about half its fuel from a cost-benefit standpoint, given the route distances involved here. And that the design sould be a trimaran along the lines of Incat designs rather than the catamaran design of the Alakai, esp. for JHSV purposes. More on this later.
Aloha, Brad
Saturday, April 5, 2008
HI Superferry: It's about the fuel, guys
Mahalo to The Maui News for publishing today an edited version of a letter related to this on 4/6/08: http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/502277.html?nav=18
There have been at least a couple of interesting articles in the past few days that consulted intellectuals regarding HSF and Aloha Airlines. First, to the most recent one in the Star Bulletin, http://starbulletin.com/2008/04/05/business/story01.html, here were my comments:
"This whole article contains a number of unrealistic assumptions by people who should know better. This will become apparent if not by this summer, then by next fall, no later then when the next winters swells roll in.
Their "Break Even Point" to cover all costs is not "400 passengers," it is more like:
"BEP: 644 passengers at $39 per person and 218 vehicles at $65 per vehicle [this BE analysis was one in Nov. '07, the vehicle dollar figures work in favor of HSF in lowering the BEP threshhold, so I leave it intact, otherwise even higher BEP passenger and vehicle counts would be required to break even] assuming a $17 fuel surcharge on each vehicle =$82 per vehicle." See: http://hisuperferry.blogspot.com/2007/11/hi-superferry-break-even-analysis.html
The "400" number was originally "400 to 500" in Superferry statements in early 2007. The 2 to 3 times increase in cost of fuel since then has pushed that figure up above their "500."
I think the Aloha Airlines CEO had it right, their business model is broken too.
It's about the cost of fuel guys. HSF burns fuel per person even faster than Aloha did."
And then there was the following outstanding article and quotes, http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/502127.html, by Harry Eager of the Maui News quoting Bank of Hawaii Chief Economist Paul Brewbaker extensively. This is some good stuff. A few key quotes from that:
"Aloha’s departure leaves interisland market muddled"
Higher fares, fewer flights among the possible outcomes
By HARRY EAGAR Staff Writer
POSTED: April 3, 2008
"The islands continued adjusting furiously Wednesday to the failure of Aloha Airlines....
For the longer term, Bank of Hawaii Chief Economist Paul Brewbaker said the new interisland air traffic regime could come to a new equilibrium at any one of several levels...
In comments Brewbaker sent to The Maui News, he said the departure of Aloha presents a different set of alternatives for economists to analyze than in earlier events when Mahalo or Discovery airlines failed...
But after Sept. 11, 2001, Sen. Dan Inouye arranged an antitrust exemption for Aloha and Hawaiian, and that allowed them to reach a new equilibrium, because it made it less likely that a new third, outside threat would arise. The new equilibrium settled at $90 a trip. Mesa Air Group’s Chairman Jonathan Ornstein decided he saw an opportunity...
Leroy Laney, professor of business and finance at Hawaii Pacific University, said Tuesday...The market is so small (and has been shrinking) that fixed overhead costs made it difficult for either of two airlines to get enough business to get into profitable territory...
Ornstein upset the apple cart, or what Brewbaker calls the Cournot-Nash equilibrium. The Cournot-Nash equilibrium is now dead, and the interisland airline business has become what economists call a Stackelberg game. Instead of two equally matched contenders warily circling each other, the remaining unevenly matched contenders will try to exploit their differences. In this Stackelberg game, Hawaiian enjoys some market power — it’s bigger and neither Go! nor Island Air can exactly duplicate the vanished service...
The exit of Aloha “removes the principal source of rivalry that disciplined Hawaiian by undermining the market power it otherwise has from product differentiation,” said Brewbaker. “The game is afoot, literally, and we should not be surprised by outcomes perverse and otherwise.” Economic theory allows for a number of balancing points, which include:
• Higher fares and fewer seats.
• Similar or somewhat higher fares, with the entry of a major carrier in the Hawaii interisland market...
Guarantees (loan or debt) might have been required, but the state Legislature finally accepted the idea of loan guarantees, although a day late and about $120 million short. Meanwhile, Hawaiian pulled a backup Boeing 767 into line to provide hundreds of seats on six daily Oahu-Maui trips, Island Air added flights between Maui and Hilo and go! nearly doubled its daily legs."
Since this article ATA has failed too, adding more to the change in equilibrium. I heard a figure that ATA alone accounts for 1 million visitors to/from Hawaii a year. As I recall Hawaii receives 7 to 8 million visitors a year. With ATA and Aloha combined that is at least 12 to 20% of the air capacity to and from Hawaii disrupted. That is shocking.
As an aside, a long-time close friend of mine is a former high level hotel manager for the Sheraton chain. He maintains contact with many of their hotel general managers. He was speaking last week with one of those general managers in Ka'anapali and that person mentioned that one of the hotels in Ka'anapali had over a 1000 cancellations after the Aloha failure alone. Think about that, that is just one example. HSF won't matter worth a squat in this big picture.
Aloha, Brad
There have been at least a couple of interesting articles in the past few days that consulted intellectuals regarding HSF and Aloha Airlines. First, to the most recent one in the Star Bulletin, http://starbulletin.com/2008/04/05/business/story01.html, here were my comments:
"This whole article contains a number of unrealistic assumptions by people who should know better. This will become apparent if not by this summer, then by next fall, no later then when the next winters swells roll in.
Their "Break Even Point" to cover all costs is not "400 passengers," it is more like:
"BEP: 644 passengers at $39 per person and 218 vehicles at $65 per vehicle [this BE analysis was one in Nov. '07, the vehicle dollar figures work in favor of HSF in lowering the BEP threshhold, so I leave it intact, otherwise even higher BEP passenger and vehicle counts would be required to break even] assuming a $17 fuel surcharge on each vehicle =$82 per vehicle." See: http://hisuperferry.blogspot.com/2007/11/hi-superferry-break-even-analysis.html
The "400" number was originally "400 to 500" in Superferry statements in early 2007. The 2 to 3 times increase in cost of fuel since then has pushed that figure up above their "500."
I think the Aloha Airlines CEO had it right, their business model is broken too.
It's about the cost of fuel guys. HSF burns fuel per person even faster than Aloha did."
And then there was the following outstanding article and quotes, http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/502127.html, by Harry Eager of the Maui News quoting Bank of Hawaii Chief Economist Paul Brewbaker extensively. This is some good stuff. A few key quotes from that:
"Aloha’s departure leaves interisland market muddled"
Higher fares, fewer flights among the possible outcomes
By HARRY EAGAR Staff Writer
POSTED: April 3, 2008
"The islands continued adjusting furiously Wednesday to the failure of Aloha Airlines....
For the longer term, Bank of Hawaii Chief Economist Paul Brewbaker said the new interisland air traffic regime could come to a new equilibrium at any one of several levels...
In comments Brewbaker sent to The Maui News, he said the departure of Aloha presents a different set of alternatives for economists to analyze than in earlier events when Mahalo or Discovery airlines failed...
But after Sept. 11, 2001, Sen. Dan Inouye arranged an antitrust exemption for Aloha and Hawaiian, and that allowed them to reach a new equilibrium, because it made it less likely that a new third, outside threat would arise. The new equilibrium settled at $90 a trip. Mesa Air Group’s Chairman Jonathan Ornstein decided he saw an opportunity...
Leroy Laney, professor of business and finance at Hawaii Pacific University, said Tuesday...The market is so small (and has been shrinking) that fixed overhead costs made it difficult for either of two airlines to get enough business to get into profitable territory...
Ornstein upset the apple cart, or what Brewbaker calls the Cournot-Nash equilibrium. The Cournot-Nash equilibrium is now dead, and the interisland airline business has become what economists call a Stackelberg game. Instead of two equally matched contenders warily circling each other, the remaining unevenly matched contenders will try to exploit their differences. In this Stackelberg game, Hawaiian enjoys some market power — it’s bigger and neither Go! nor Island Air can exactly duplicate the vanished service...
The exit of Aloha “removes the principal source of rivalry that disciplined Hawaiian by undermining the market power it otherwise has from product differentiation,” said Brewbaker. “The game is afoot, literally, and we should not be surprised by outcomes perverse and otherwise.” Economic theory allows for a number of balancing points, which include:
• Higher fares and fewer seats.
• Similar or somewhat higher fares, with the entry of a major carrier in the Hawaii interisland market...
Guarantees (loan or debt) might have been required, but the state Legislature finally accepted the idea of loan guarantees, although a day late and about $120 million short. Meanwhile, Hawaiian pulled a backup Boeing 767 into line to provide hundreds of seats on six daily Oahu-Maui trips, Island Air added flights between Maui and Hilo and go! nearly doubled its daily legs."
Since this article ATA has failed too, adding more to the change in equilibrium. I heard a figure that ATA alone accounts for 1 million visitors to/from Hawaii a year. As I recall Hawaii receives 7 to 8 million visitors a year. With ATA and Aloha combined that is at least 12 to 20% of the air capacity to and from Hawaii disrupted. That is shocking.
As an aside, a long-time close friend of mine is a former high level hotel manager for the Sheraton chain. He maintains contact with many of their hotel general managers. He was speaking last week with one of those general managers in Ka'anapali and that person mentioned that one of the hotels in Ka'anapali had over a 1000 cancellations after the Aloha failure alone. Think about that, that is just one example. HSF won't matter worth a squat in this big picture.
Aloha, Brad
Thursday, April 3, 2008
HI Superferry: Brace yourself, this is a doozy
The blogger Springboard http://springboarder.blogspot.com/ had two more good posts yesterday: http://springboarder.blogspot.com/2008/04/strange-days-in-lcs-2.html
and http://springboarder.blogspot.com/2008/04/navy-more-lcs-please.html.
His second post was followed up today by the local paper in Mobile, AL: http://www.al.com/business/mobileregister/index.ssf?/base/business/1207214112259670.xml&coll=3
and http://springboarder.blogspot.com/2008/04/navy-more-lcs-please.html.
His second post was followed up today by the local paper in Mobile, AL: http://www.al.com/business/mobileregister/index.ssf?/base/business/1207214112259670.xml&coll=3
Contained in those is this significant article: http://www.al.com/news/press-register/index.ssf?/base/news/1206522920295650.xml&coll=3
At first I did not read those closely yesterday. A lady, we will call her 'Camera,' pointed out to me the following cite within the first of the above posts by Springboard. This story is about a week old in the Mobile, AL, area, but it's a doozy. As Katy on Kauai might say, this is no longer just a series of bad PR mistakes, this is institutional, and seems to be indicative of how the company operates. How could Katy have known when she was hanging that banner that she was standing upon something built on those values? Is this Pono? I wonder what the prospective 'local' ridership will think of this, if they find out?
"22 workers sue Austal for racial discrimination"
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
By JEFF AMY and KAIJA WILKINSON, Business Reporters
"A group of 22 current and former black employees have sued Austal USA, claiming that company managers participate in and condone widespread racial discrimination at its Mobile River shipyard.
"Defendant's racial discrimination is its standard operating procedure rather than a sporadic occurrence," the plaintiffs stated in a suit filed last week in federal court in Mobile."...See rest of article at http://www.al.com/news/press-register/index.ssf?/base/news/1206522920295650.xml&coll=3
Aloha, Brad
At first I did not read those closely yesterday. A lady, we will call her 'Camera,' pointed out to me the following cite within the first of the above posts by Springboard. This story is about a week old in the Mobile, AL, area, but it's a doozy. As Katy on Kauai might say, this is no longer just a series of bad PR mistakes, this is institutional, and seems to be indicative of how the company operates. How could Katy have known when she was hanging that banner that she was standing upon something built on those values? Is this Pono? I wonder what the prospective 'local' ridership will think of this, if they find out?
"22 workers sue Austal for racial discrimination"
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
By JEFF AMY and KAIJA WILKINSON, Business Reporters
"A group of 22 current and former black employees have sued Austal USA, claiming that company managers participate in and condone widespread racial discrimination at its Mobile River shipyard.
"Defendant's racial discrimination is its standard operating procedure rather than a sporadic occurrence," the plaintiffs stated in a suit filed last week in federal court in Mobile."...See rest of article at http://www.al.com/news/press-register/index.ssf?/base/news/1206522920295650.xml&coll=3
Aloha, Brad
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
HI Superferry: The Question regarding Life rafts
There was a question raised during the Kauai Act. 2 Scoping Meeting about whether there are enough life rafts on the vessel for the full capacity of 866 people, and whether the requirements vary for vessels on rivers as opposed to vessels on the open seas. I promised that person I would find the code that regulates this. Here is what I found and the replies we got:
First, I put in a call to Lt. Titchen and got back a return call from an NCO Officer Johnson. Here is the code cite he gave to me:
TITLE 46--Shipping
CHAPTER I--COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
SUBCHAPTER W--LIFESAVING APPLIANCES AND ARRANGEMENTS
PART 199--LIFESAVING SYSTEMS FOR CERTAIN INSPECTED VESSELS
Subpart C--ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR PASSENGER VESSELS
§199.200 General.
§199.201 Survival craft.
§199.202 Rescue boats.
§199.203 Marshalling of liferafts.
Subpart F--EXEMPTIONS AND ALTERNATIVES FOR VESSELS NOT SUBJECT TO SOLAS
§199.600 General.
§199.610 Exemptions for vessels in specified services.
§199.620 Alternatives for all vessels in a specified service.
§199.630 Alternatives for passenger vessels in a specified service.
§199.640 Alternatives for cargo vessels in a specified service.
Larry Geller inquired and got back this response also from the Coast Guard:
------- Forwarded message follows -------
Good Morning,
The quick answer is yes, the vessel is in full compliance with U.S. laws. The vessel is required to meet the SOLAS 2000 High Speed Craft Code and 46 CFR sub-chapter W for primary life saving. According to the certificate of inspection (COI) for the HSC Alakai, the vessel has over 100% life raft capacities. If you have any more questions, or need any further info, please let me know. Have a great day.
Very Respectfully,
Michael De Nyse, Commander,
14th Coast Guard District
------- End of forwarded message -------
Lastly, I got this reply from an expert on Maui:
Re: HSF Life rafts
From: GK
"That is checked at the COI inspection annually. Believe me they are more than careful about this. USCG makes you pull out every life jacket, life ring, and life raft and inspects each and every one. Any wear or tear, they must be replaced or no sail."
Aloha, Brad
First, I put in a call to Lt. Titchen and got back a return call from an NCO Officer Johnson. Here is the code cite he gave to me:
TITLE 46--Shipping
CHAPTER I--COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
SUBCHAPTER W--LIFESAVING APPLIANCES AND ARRANGEMENTS
PART 199--LIFESAVING SYSTEMS FOR CERTAIN INSPECTED VESSELS
Subpart C--ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR PASSENGER VESSELS
§199.200 General.
§199.201 Survival craft.
§199.202 Rescue boats.
§199.203 Marshalling of liferafts.
Subpart F--EXEMPTIONS AND ALTERNATIVES FOR VESSELS NOT SUBJECT TO SOLAS
§199.600 General.
§199.610 Exemptions for vessels in specified services.
§199.620 Alternatives for all vessels in a specified service.
§199.630 Alternatives for passenger vessels in a specified service.
§199.640 Alternatives for cargo vessels in a specified service.
Larry Geller inquired and got back this response also from the Coast Guard:
------- Forwarded message follows -------
Good Morning,
The quick answer is yes, the vessel is in full compliance with U.S. laws. The vessel is required to meet the SOLAS 2000 High Speed Craft Code and 46 CFR sub-chapter W for primary life saving. According to the certificate of inspection (COI) for the HSC Alakai, the vessel has over 100% life raft capacities. If you have any more questions, or need any further info, please let me know. Have a great day.
Very Respectfully,
Michael De Nyse, Commander,
14th Coast Guard District
------- End of forwarded message -------
Lastly, I got this reply from an expert on Maui:
Re: HSF Life rafts
From: GK
"That is checked at the COI inspection annually. Believe me they are more than careful about this. USCG makes you pull out every life jacket, life ring, and life raft and inspects each and every one. Any wear or tear, they must be replaced or no sail."
Aloha, Brad
HI Superferry: "Kaua‘i group appeals Superferry rulings"
http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2008/04/02/news/news02.txt
April 2, 2008
"Kaua‘i group appeals Superferry rulings"
by Amanda C. Gregg - THE GARDEN ISLAND
"Claiming that Hawaii Superferry profits do not trump federally mandated environmental requirements, attorneys filed an opening brief in the Intermediate Court of Appeals this week. Attorneys argued in the brief that Kaua’i should enjoy the same constitutional protections afforded to everyone else in the state.
Dan Hempey and Greg Meyers, attorneys for 1,000 Friends of Kaua‘i, filed the appeal of two September 2007 rulings greenlighting the Hawaii Superferry despite its lacking an Environmental Assessment.
Hawaii Superferry had claimed it would face financial strain if forced to stop operations while completing the EA.
[...]
The 1,000 Friends of Kaua‘i brief states that “the court should protect the public and enforce (the Hawaiian Environmental Protection Act), even against violators who can show that they cleverly approved a statewide project in severable subparts, or who may lose a lot of money if the environmental laws are applied to them.”
[...]
The Supreme Court ruling they were alluding to was an Aug. 23, 2007, decision in which the high court reversed the July 12, 2005, Maui Circuit Court judgment in favor of the Sierra Club and its request of an EA.
That ruling, Hempey and Meyers also argued, should have meant the county of Kaua‘i is similarly protected.
“I don’t think this court wants a situation where every person in the state who want(s) to be protected by an environmental law has to go file their own lawsuit to claim that protection,” Meyers said during the TRO hearing.
[...]
Claiming that ruling in favor of the environment on Maui but not on Kaua‘i presents an inequity throughout the state, Hempey and Meyers wrote, “Citizens of Maui were protected from the Superferry, while citizens of Kaua‘i could not enjoin the Superferry, despite the statewide HEPA violation.”
The brief continues, “requiring citizens from each of the different circuits in the state to file suit within the 120 days of agency action — lest statewide environmental protections only being provided to citizens in those circuits in which suit is filed — would undermine the very purpose of HEPA.”
Though the Lingle administration has claimed it was surprised by the Hawaii Supreme Court ruling for an EA in the Maui case, Hempey said, “the fact the DOT wrote four separate letters to exempt four harbors back in 2005 suggests that they were trying to circumvent environmental law all along.”
No timeline for a ruling has been set by the court."
April 2, 2008
"Kaua‘i group appeals Superferry rulings"
by Amanda C. Gregg - THE GARDEN ISLAND
"Claiming that Hawaii Superferry profits do not trump federally mandated environmental requirements, attorneys filed an opening brief in the Intermediate Court of Appeals this week. Attorneys argued in the brief that Kaua’i should enjoy the same constitutional protections afforded to everyone else in the state.
Dan Hempey and Greg Meyers, attorneys for 1,000 Friends of Kaua‘i, filed the appeal of two September 2007 rulings greenlighting the Hawaii Superferry despite its lacking an Environmental Assessment.
Hawaii Superferry had claimed it would face financial strain if forced to stop operations while completing the EA.
[...]
The 1,000 Friends of Kaua‘i brief states that “the court should protect the public and enforce (the Hawaiian Environmental Protection Act), even against violators who can show that they cleverly approved a statewide project in severable subparts, or who may lose a lot of money if the environmental laws are applied to them.”
[...]
The Supreme Court ruling they were alluding to was an Aug. 23, 2007, decision in which the high court reversed the July 12, 2005, Maui Circuit Court judgment in favor of the Sierra Club and its request of an EA.
That ruling, Hempey and Meyers also argued, should have meant the county of Kaua‘i is similarly protected.
“I don’t think this court wants a situation where every person in the state who want(s) to be protected by an environmental law has to go file their own lawsuit to claim that protection,” Meyers said during the TRO hearing.
[...]
Claiming that ruling in favor of the environment on Maui but not on Kaua‘i presents an inequity throughout the state, Hempey and Meyers wrote, “Citizens of Maui were protected from the Superferry, while citizens of Kaua‘i could not enjoin the Superferry, despite the statewide HEPA violation.”
The brief continues, “requiring citizens from each of the different circuits in the state to file suit within the 120 days of agency action — lest statewide environmental protections only being provided to citizens in those circuits in which suit is filed — would undermine the very purpose of HEPA.”
Though the Lingle administration has claimed it was surprised by the Hawaii Supreme Court ruling for an EA in the Maui case, Hempey said, “the fact the DOT wrote four separate letters to exempt four harbors back in 2005 suggests that they were trying to circumvent environmental law all along.”
No timeline for a ruling has been set by the court."
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
HI Superferry: Oversight Taskforce Committee Reports
These are very interesting reports. From the most recent going back in time. DOT appears to have added recently to what is available online. These are worth reading fully, including exhibits, for those who want to know what has been happening on this issue.
OTF Report - 03.28.08
Some points from this report that stand out in the order mentioned in the report:
Kauila Clark missed 3rd out of 4 meetings. Only 8 round trips for February.
Average passenger load from Oahu to Maui of 115 per one-way trip.
Average vehicle load from Oahu to Maui of 40 per one-way trip.
Average passenger load from Maui to Oahu of 87 per one-way trip.
Average vehicle load from Maui to Oahu of 39 per one-way trip.
[Not in the report, but the last few days were even lower.]
Whale sightings of 31 per day on the 8 round-trips.
There was a preliminary report from Lesley Matsumoto of Belt Collins regarding the Rapid Risk Assessment. "As of this date, nothing has been identified as a substantial risk to the resources." Belt Collins Rapid Risk Assessment was not able to observe for most of February nor March; but they will wrap it up in June, [and for this they will be paid between $100,000 and $200,000 according to Mike Formby, in addition to the $1,000,000 for the Act. 2 'EIS'].
DOT divulged that through Feb. 2008, HSF paid $483,760.80 in fees to the state clarified in Attachment "E" of the report.
Finding: OTF found that consistent with the Feb. 2008 recommendation of Dick Mayer, adopted by the committee, amnesty boxes for the discarding of contraband and/or banned items were installed at the harbor terminals.
Recommendation adopted that HSF create a diagram scatter log plotting whale spotted information gathered by the vessel, similar to the idea recommended by Uncle Les.
Last page of Attachment "C" has a nice diagram of the first attempt at this.
Recommendation adopted that OTF support DLNR's request for 15 new DOCARE officers.
Motion passed that Members Randy Awo and Dennis Chun be the reps to meet with Hanabusa, Say, and other legis. regarding additional DOCARE positions.
PREVIOUS REPORTS:
OTF Report - 02.28.08
Report worth reading, both parts 1 and 2, and the exhibits.
See also: http://hisuperferry.blogspot.com/2008/02/hi-superferry-oversight-taskforce.html
OTF Report - 01.31.08
Report includes the only public information on the members of the Belt Collins Rapid Risk Assessment Team and likely members and consultants on the Act. 2 'EIS'. See: BELT COLLINS-SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS. Members and their education background are an indication of the influence and direction of this 'EIS'. Noticeable that there are few technical members, engineers, nor MBA's involved. The two Belt Collins VP's over this have BA's; one with an MA in Political Science. Bishop Museum professional staff/consultants are relied up heavily to buttress these qualifications.
OTF Report - 12.31.07
Nothing new in this report. Not worth reading. Most of the exhibits are HSF company documentation verbatim.
Aloha, Brad
OTF Report - 03.28.08
Some points from this report that stand out in the order mentioned in the report:
Kauila Clark missed 3rd out of 4 meetings. Only 8 round trips for February.
Average passenger load from Oahu to Maui of 115 per one-way trip.
Average vehicle load from Oahu to Maui of 40 per one-way trip.
Average passenger load from Maui to Oahu of 87 per one-way trip.
Average vehicle load from Maui to Oahu of 39 per one-way trip.
[Not in the report, but the last few days were even lower.]
Whale sightings of 31 per day on the 8 round-trips.
There was a preliminary report from Lesley Matsumoto of Belt Collins regarding the Rapid Risk Assessment. "As of this date, nothing has been identified as a substantial risk to the resources." Belt Collins Rapid Risk Assessment was not able to observe for most of February nor March; but they will wrap it up in June, [and for this they will be paid between $100,000 and $200,000 according to Mike Formby, in addition to the $1,000,000 for the Act. 2 'EIS'].
DOT divulged that through Feb. 2008, HSF paid $483,760.80 in fees to the state clarified in Attachment "E" of the report.
Finding: OTF found that consistent with the Feb. 2008 recommendation of Dick Mayer, adopted by the committee, amnesty boxes for the discarding of contraband and/or banned items were installed at the harbor terminals.
Recommendation adopted that HSF create a diagram scatter log plotting whale spotted information gathered by the vessel, similar to the idea recommended by Uncle Les.
Last page of Attachment "C" has a nice diagram of the first attempt at this.
Recommendation adopted that OTF support DLNR's request for 15 new DOCARE officers.
Motion passed that Members Randy Awo and Dennis Chun be the reps to meet with Hanabusa, Say, and other legis. regarding additional DOCARE positions.
PREVIOUS REPORTS:
OTF Report - 02.28.08
Report worth reading, both parts 1 and 2, and the exhibits.
See also: http://hisuperferry.blogspot.com/2008/02/hi-superferry-oversight-taskforce.html
OTF Report - 01.31.08
Report includes the only public information on the members of the Belt Collins Rapid Risk Assessment Team and likely members and consultants on the Act. 2 'EIS'. See: BELT COLLINS-SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS. Members and their education background are an indication of the influence and direction of this 'EIS'. Noticeable that there are few technical members, engineers, nor MBA's involved. The two Belt Collins VP's over this have BA's; one with an MA in Political Science. Bishop Museum professional staff/consultants are relied up heavily to buttress these qualifications.
OTF Report - 12.31.07
Nothing new in this report. Not worth reading. Most of the exhibits are HSF company documentation verbatim.
Aloha, Brad
HI Superferry: "Pot calling the Kettle Black?"
Quote of the day from Aloha Air CEO David Banmiller:
"I mean we have support for the Superferry whose business model is broken, we have support to go buy a hotel resort or something, so any missconception we weren't out there turning over every rock, talking to state and federal officials and investors and airlines is simply an error."
With both cases the Governor sought government intervention in the free market to be assisted by the Legislature for new "special privilege" law of a company-specific nature. In both cases, the biggest problem to the company is the rising cost of fuel. In both cases, the Governor believes that government actions can overcome primarily microeconomic problems within a company. In both cases the Governor has missed what the primary obstacle is within the company.
For Aloha Air, that was the need for Working Capital right now to pay employees and to pay for fuel. Her proposals and in the Legislature did not immediately address that. For HSF, the vessel design and fuel consumption over the long routes proposed are actually their biggest internal commercial problems, of which the Governor and the Legislature never appear to have recognized.
Both involve the development of the single biggest economic problem Hawaii has seen in decades, the cost of fuel and Hawaii's overpopulated, unsustainable reliance upon 90% outside sources of energy. Meanwhile, the Legislature lets plenty of good energy and sustainability bills (and I don't mean the 5 or so "special privilege" bills) languish with inaction.
Couple of good articles today:
From Lee: http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080401/COLUMNISTS02/804010371
From Derrick: http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080401/NEWS01/804010367
Aloha, Brad
"I mean we have support for the Superferry whose business model is broken, we have support to go buy a hotel resort or something, so any missconception we weren't out there turning over every rock, talking to state and federal officials and investors and airlines is simply an error."
With both cases the Governor sought government intervention in the free market to be assisted by the Legislature for new "special privilege" law of a company-specific nature. In both cases, the biggest problem to the company is the rising cost of fuel. In both cases, the Governor believes that government actions can overcome primarily microeconomic problems within a company. In both cases the Governor has missed what the primary obstacle is within the company.
For Aloha Air, that was the need for Working Capital right now to pay employees and to pay for fuel. Her proposals and in the Legislature did not immediately address that. For HSF, the vessel design and fuel consumption over the long routes proposed are actually their biggest internal commercial problems, of which the Governor and the Legislature never appear to have recognized.
Both involve the development of the single biggest economic problem Hawaii has seen in decades, the cost of fuel and Hawaii's overpopulated, unsustainable reliance upon 90% outside sources of energy. Meanwhile, the Legislature lets plenty of good energy and sustainability bills (and I don't mean the 5 or so "special privilege" bills) languish with inaction.
Couple of good articles today:
From Lee: http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080401/COLUMNISTS02/804010371
From Derrick: http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080401/NEWS01/804010367
Aloha, Brad
Monday, March 31, 2008
HI Superferry: Act. 2 Testimony from the Big Island
This is some good stuff. Be sure to click on Lee Tepley's links and read the attachments at his web site:
From: Lee Tepley
Sent: Sun 3/30/08 4:55 PM
To: Lee ((whale DVD)) Tepley
"About reliably detecting collisions between the Superferry and whales + other Superferry stories - feel free to circulate.
I attended the 6:00PM session of the EIS scoping meeting at Kona on March 27, 2008. The audience of about 30 people were quiet, reserved, maybe even a little bored – apparently nothing like the earlier Scoping meetings on Kauai. Belt Collins personnel were pleasant and charming. They seemed happy to have one million dollars of state money to spend on the illegal EIS. But, apparently, they still could not afford to provide an e-mail address for Kona residents to submit comments. You should have until April Fool’s day to submit Postmarked written comments.
About 7 people gave 3 minute presentations. Three of these (given by Duane Erway, Marjorie Erway and myself) were rather technical. I hope that Belt Collins is required by Act 2 to consider and comment on these presentations in it’s draft EIS. Otherwise, why even bother to have a "scoping meeting?"
The 3 minute presentations by Duane, Marjorie and myself are given on 2 new pages of my Superferry web site. To get there go to:
http://web.mac.com/leetepley/Site/Detecting_whale_collisions-_Kona_EIS_scoping_meeting_.html
and
http://web.mac.com/leetepley/Site/Supplement_to_Kona_EIS_scoping_Meeting.html
A brief summary of my presentation is given below.
1. I first made it clear that I agreed with Jeff Sacher who stated that he believed that both ACT 2 and the EIS were both illegal and unconstitutional.
2. I then discussed 4 techniques that could be used (probably simultaneously) to reliably identify collisions between the Superferry and submerged large objects - like whales, manta rays, etc. Specifically, the techniques involve mounting video cameras, accelerometers, hydrophones and/or low-intensity high-frequency sonars on or near the Superrferry’s two bows. The latter 3 items would be mounted near or below the waterline. All 4 of these techniques could be used simultaneously. Data would be recorded on hard drives or telemetered directly to a shore station for rapid analysis.
Duane Erway and myself had discussed requiring the Superferry to install such instrumentation for many months. We decided that this EIS scoping meeting was a good time to introduce the idea. Independently, Dr. Alex Leonard came up with similar ideas and presented them in a letter to Senator Barbara Chun Oakland. Dr. Leonard’s letter also emphasized the increasing danger of collisions with increasing vessel speed. You can read it as Attachment 2 on one of the new web pages on the Kona EIS Scoping meeting.
I should make it clear that reliably identifying collisions is totally different from avoiding them. HSF argues that observers looking through binoculars and using exotic night vision equipment will enable the Superferry to detect marine mammals and avoid collisions. Wrong!! There is no way that observers can detect animals when they are beneath the surface.
I expect that HSF will violently object to installing instrumentation on the Superferry to detect collisions since it would be embarrassed when collisions were documented. HSF might even be fined for killing endangered species. Also, HSF will claim that installing detection equipment would be a waste of it’s money or taxpayer’s money. But with one million taxpayer dollars already devoted to this illegal EIS, why worry about spending a few more dollars to reliably detect collisions with whales?
3. In Marjorie Erway's 3 minute presentation, she discussed how HSF has managed to avoid Duane Erway’s request that the Superferry be required to measure the noise output of the vessel. (Go to Attachment #3 on the Supplementary EIS Scoping web page.) However, there is fairly new evidence that this noise may be loud enough to cause direct hearing damage to marine mammals that come close to the ferry but are lucky enough to avoid being hit. The illegal EIS should require an independent contractor to make direct measurements of the noise put out by the Superferry when traveling at different speeds.
4. In Duane Erway's 3 minute presentation, he discussed possible shortcomings of HSF’s night vision equipment - especially on dark nights. (Go to attachment #4 on the Supplementary EIS Scoping web page.) The illegal EIS should require independent contractors to evaluate this equipment and specify how fast the Superferry be permitted to travel under conditions of normal and reduced visibility.
I hope that the above 3 minute presentations contain information to help attorneys in coming legal actions against Act 2.
Now, please go to my new Superferry web pages about the Kona EIS scoping meeting."
Aloha,
Lee Tepley
From: Lee Tepley
Sent: Sun 3/30/08 4:55 PM
To: Lee ((whale DVD)) Tepley
"About reliably detecting collisions between the Superferry and whales + other Superferry stories - feel free to circulate.
I attended the 6:00PM session of the EIS scoping meeting at Kona on March 27, 2008. The audience of about 30 people were quiet, reserved, maybe even a little bored – apparently nothing like the earlier Scoping meetings on Kauai. Belt Collins personnel were pleasant and charming. They seemed happy to have one million dollars of state money to spend on the illegal EIS. But, apparently, they still could not afford to provide an e-mail address for Kona residents to submit comments. You should have until April Fool’s day to submit Postmarked written comments.
About 7 people gave 3 minute presentations. Three of these (given by Duane Erway, Marjorie Erway and myself) were rather technical. I hope that Belt Collins is required by Act 2 to consider and comment on these presentations in it’s draft EIS. Otherwise, why even bother to have a "scoping meeting?"
The 3 minute presentations by Duane, Marjorie and myself are given on 2 new pages of my Superferry web site. To get there go to:
http://web.mac.com/leetepley/Site/Detecting_whale_collisions-_Kona_EIS_scoping_meeting_.html
and
http://web.mac.com/leetepley/Site/Supplement_to_Kona_EIS_scoping_Meeting.html
A brief summary of my presentation is given below.
1. I first made it clear that I agreed with Jeff Sacher who stated that he believed that both ACT 2 and the EIS were both illegal and unconstitutional.
2. I then discussed 4 techniques that could be used (probably simultaneously) to reliably identify collisions between the Superferry and submerged large objects - like whales, manta rays, etc. Specifically, the techniques involve mounting video cameras, accelerometers, hydrophones and/or low-intensity high-frequency sonars on or near the Superrferry’s two bows. The latter 3 items would be mounted near or below the waterline. All 4 of these techniques could be used simultaneously. Data would be recorded on hard drives or telemetered directly to a shore station for rapid analysis.
Duane Erway and myself had discussed requiring the Superferry to install such instrumentation for many months. We decided that this EIS scoping meeting was a good time to introduce the idea. Independently, Dr. Alex Leonard came up with similar ideas and presented them in a letter to Senator Barbara Chun Oakland. Dr. Leonard’s letter also emphasized the increasing danger of collisions with increasing vessel speed. You can read it as Attachment 2 on one of the new web pages on the Kona EIS Scoping meeting.
I should make it clear that reliably identifying collisions is totally different from avoiding them. HSF argues that observers looking through binoculars and using exotic night vision equipment will enable the Superferry to detect marine mammals and avoid collisions. Wrong!! There is no way that observers can detect animals when they are beneath the surface.
I expect that HSF will violently object to installing instrumentation on the Superferry to detect collisions since it would be embarrassed when collisions were documented. HSF might even be fined for killing endangered species. Also, HSF will claim that installing detection equipment would be a waste of it’s money or taxpayer’s money. But with one million taxpayer dollars already devoted to this illegal EIS, why worry about spending a few more dollars to reliably detect collisions with whales?
3. In Marjorie Erway's 3 minute presentation, she discussed how HSF has managed to avoid Duane Erway’s request that the Superferry be required to measure the noise output of the vessel. (Go to Attachment #3 on the Supplementary EIS Scoping web page.) However, there is fairly new evidence that this noise may be loud enough to cause direct hearing damage to marine mammals that come close to the ferry but are lucky enough to avoid being hit. The illegal EIS should require an independent contractor to make direct measurements of the noise put out by the Superferry when traveling at different speeds.
4. In Duane Erway's 3 minute presentation, he discussed possible shortcomings of HSF’s night vision equipment - especially on dark nights. (Go to attachment #4 on the Supplementary EIS Scoping web page.) The illegal EIS should require independent contractors to evaluate this equipment and specify how fast the Superferry be permitted to travel under conditions of normal and reduced visibility.
I hope that the above 3 minute presentations contain information to help attorneys in coming legal actions against Act 2.
Now, please go to my new Superferry web pages about the Kona EIS scoping meeting."
Aloha,
Lee Tepley
Saturday, March 29, 2008
HI Superferry: Act. 2 Testimony...Enough Liferafts?
First, there was a lot of good testimony, esp. on Kauai, but the following written testimony is what I was given. In particular I am looking at the point brought up regarding adequate numbers of liferafts onboard and whether liferafts or lifeboats would be required at sea. At a minimum, one would think there should be enough liferafts for full passenger capacity on the vessel. First, a useful and interesting cite from the Legislative web site. Notice it is called the "Superferry Bill" and not "a large capacity ferry vessel company" bill at: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/site1/archives/2007b/
From: Richard Hoeppner, March 19, 2008, afternoon testimony for Act. 2,
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/splsession2007b/bills/GM126_.PDF:
"This hearing is an effort in futility, it is a sham, as is Act II that requires it. Act II is a bastardization of the rule of law and a prostitution of the legislative process. There are currently two cases filed with the Hawaii Appeals Court to determine it’s constitutionality, which [should] make this process irrelevant.
The Act itself makes this process irrelevant under Part III, which relates to this EIS by stating: “Nothing in this Part shall be deemed or construed to impose a condition precedent to any activity authorized under Parts I, II, or IV of this act.”
This process is One Million Dollars wasted, and will have NO effect on any impacts to our environment.
The Governor has thus far blocked an Audit required under Part I, Page 4, Line 5, relating to how the State determined the exemption for an EIS on the Superferry. That Audit could also make this process irrelevant, and [this] should be delayed until that Audit is completed.
If you insist on carrying out a False EIS, then the Act itself demands that you earn your Million Dollars.
The Act itself lists effects that are likely to be caused by Superferry. In Part II it lists what effects the Governor must consider on Page 16, lines 5 through 15. These same effects are listed in Part IV, page 45, lines 1 through 13, showing the impacts that the task force is to consider.
Why should you not be required to cover the same issues that the Governor and the Task Force are required to consider, and they are:
1. Ocean life and marine animals and plants, including a whale avoidance policy and procedures
2. water resources and quality
3. harbor infrastructure
4. vehicular traffic
5. public safety and security
6. controlling the spread of invasive species
7. cultural resources, including hunting, fishing, and native Hawaiian resources
8. economic consequences and impact
9. other natural resources and community concerns
Item (5) line 10 of Page 16 lists “Public safety and security” which hasn’t been talked about very much. With Superferry history of seasickness and floors afloat with vomit because they ran out of barf bags, there has to be a health issue that should be examined.
If Superferry hits a[...] whale and causes more damage to the auxiliary rudders, could the hulls be cracked to an even greater extent, causing the craft to sink? The Coast Guard distinguishes between “life boats” and “life rafts” for ocean going vessels. Does Superferry have sufficient safety craft on board to accomadate the number of passengers it is capable of carrying? These are issues you must examine. [...] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liferaft#Liferaft_versus_Lifeboat
Read Act II, the unconstitutional Superferry bill, and you will see what DOT’s own law requires that you do."
From: Richard Hoeppner, March 19, 2008, afternoon testimony for Act. 2,
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/splsession2007b/bills/GM126_.PDF:
"This hearing is an effort in futility, it is a sham, as is Act II that requires it. Act II is a bastardization of the rule of law and a prostitution of the legislative process. There are currently two cases filed with the Hawaii Appeals Court to determine it’s constitutionality, which [should] make this process irrelevant.
The Act itself makes this process irrelevant under Part III, which relates to this EIS by stating: “Nothing in this Part shall be deemed or construed to impose a condition precedent to any activity authorized under Parts I, II, or IV of this act.”
This process is One Million Dollars wasted, and will have NO effect on any impacts to our environment.
The Governor has thus far blocked an Audit required under Part I, Page 4, Line 5, relating to how the State determined the exemption for an EIS on the Superferry. That Audit could also make this process irrelevant, and [this] should be delayed until that Audit is completed.
If you insist on carrying out a False EIS, then the Act itself demands that you earn your Million Dollars.
The Act itself lists effects that are likely to be caused by Superferry. In Part II it lists what effects the Governor must consider on Page 16, lines 5 through 15. These same effects are listed in Part IV, page 45, lines 1 through 13, showing the impacts that the task force is to consider.
Why should you not be required to cover the same issues that the Governor and the Task Force are required to consider, and they are:
1. Ocean life and marine animals and plants, including a whale avoidance policy and procedures
2. water resources and quality
3. harbor infrastructure
4. vehicular traffic
5. public safety and security
6. controlling the spread of invasive species
7. cultural resources, including hunting, fishing, and native Hawaiian resources
8. economic consequences and impact
9. other natural resources and community concerns
Item (5) line 10 of Page 16 lists “Public safety and security” which hasn’t been talked about very much. With Superferry history of seasickness and floors afloat with vomit because they ran out of barf bags, there has to be a health issue that should be examined.
If Superferry hits a[...] whale and causes more damage to the auxiliary rudders, could the hulls be cracked to an even greater extent, causing the craft to sink? The Coast Guard distinguishes between “life boats” and “life rafts” for ocean going vessels. Does Superferry have sufficient safety craft on board to accomadate the number of passengers it is capable of carrying? These are issues you must examine. [...] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liferaft#Liferaft_versus_Lifeboat
Read Act II, the unconstitutional Superferry bill, and you will see what DOT’s own law requires that you do."
I, Brad, am still researching the above point regarding liferafts and have a call into people who should know to find out more on this.
Also, Rich Hoeppner had another very interesting statement presented on July 7, 2007, at the 3rd HSF Meeting w/the Kauai community required by the Senate. There were about 150 people in attendance at that time:
"There are so many unanswered questions regarding the Hawaii Superferry. How can so many presumably intelligent people not see the difference between the Superferry operation and that of Young Brother’s and Matson lines? Both of the latter have been in operation for over a hundred years, 1900 and 1862, have proven themselves effective without causing problems and without which the outer islands could not function. Everybody knows the impacts of these companies on the Hawaiian Islands and it is accepted by all.
The Superferry operation on the other hand is new, unproven, and totally unique. No other craft sailing Hawaiian waters travels at even half the speed, no other craft accommodates up to 250 drive on/drive off private vehicles, no other craft [would dock] at all four major ports on a daily basis, and no other craft utilizes the narrow catamaran hulls which can be deadly to whales, as evidenced by similar craft in the Canary Islands. Nobody knows what the environmental and cultural impact of the Superferry will be on our islands, except possibly Superferry promoters, causing them to resist the EIS.
More important than any of the above information, is the integrity and truthfulness of the people involved in the promotion of this project. They still advertise their operation as affordable and convenient, with weekend fares at $52 per person and $65 per car. In very fine print is the mention of a fuel surcharge based on marine diesel oil (MDO) priced at $300 per metric ton, with a 2% rise in fare price for each 10% rise is in MDO. They also know that the present MDO price is $585. It was as high as $790 just a few months ago and is on the rise since the elections. Is this deceptive, or outright dishonesty? [MDO is well over $900 per metric ton right now, 3/29/08, three times the pricing cost that HSF originally calculated, see: http://www.bunkerworld.com/markets/prices/]
1. They advertise how great it will be for the small farmer from Kauai to take his produce to Honolulu on the Superferry. That small farmer will have to pay $1,360 to get his truck and produce to Oahu and back, will get into Honolulu at 9:30PM from Kauai, will have to pay for a Hotel, and have only until about 1:30PM the next day to get rid of his produce. He will have to sell a hell of a [lot] of Papaya to cover that cost. Those traveling from Oahu to Maui will have to be at the port to be inspected by about 4AM; that is anything but convenient. Again, where is the honesty?
They advertise that their boat is eco-friendly. I went to a Chamber of Commerce meeting last week where Superferry was the star. They had a new folder with allegedly all new information. It was much of the same information, same claims they have been making about studies and cooperation with agencies, but again, generalities with no details; the appendix was not included.
They did have an Austal specification sheet for the Auto Express 107, their craft, but one very important specification was eliminated form their Austal sheet. The fact that their superferry burns 1,981 gallons of diesel fuel per hour, or nearly 12,000 gallons round trip Oahu to Kauai and back. Is that eco-friendly and does their elimination of that detail from the spec sheet give an indication of how honest they are, or is it just one more indication of their deceitful tactics.
2. Mr. Fukanaga claims he and his staff determined that Superferry was entitled to an exemption from an EIS. Is that true or did the order come from his boss, Governor Lingle? How did Lehman, Garibaldi and others know they would get fast track treatment to invest millions without going through normal channels. The state environmental board has said that this exemption was wrong.
Mr. Fukanaga, did you do an investigation before you exempted them from an EIS, and invested $40M for barges and ramps at our docks that can only be utilized by a Superferry type craft? Did you check the backgrounds of the people involved in Superferry to determine past history as CEOs, CFOs and VPs in prior ventures?
Were you aware of the background of Mr. Lehman, Chairman of the Board of Superferry? Is this the same John F. Lehman, former Secretary of the Navy under Reagan [...]? Is this the same John F. Lehman that was a co-author of Project for a New American Century, promoting policies that produced the catastrophe of Iraq, and who was a member of the 911 Commission that many people think was a white wash of what happened at the twin towers?
Is Mr. Garibaldi the same John Garibaldi that was CFO of Hawaiian Airlines shortly before they declared bankruptcy, and then accepted an enormous severance package?
3. Is Mr. O’Halloran the same Terry O’Halloran who is chairman of the Whale Sanctuary Advisory Committee that approved a whale avoidance policy of two people with binoculars watching for whales? How convenient to be on the Sanctuary Advisory Committee and be Director of Business Development for Superferry. Does this obvious conflict of interest indicate lack of integrity?
Is Mr. White, Vice President of Superferry, the same Terry White who is also on the Whale Sanctuary Advisory Committee, and was involved in the American Classic Cruise Lines that filed the largest bankruptcy in the history of a U.S. Maritime Administration backed loan, the same U.S. agency backing a $140M loan for the Superferry?
Did you check the background and financial interests of another superferry VP, Tig Krekel? Is this the same Tig Krekel who has been President, Vice President, or CEO, of Corporations such as Boeing Satellite Systems, Hughes Space and Communications, and Aerospace Equipment Systems group of Allied Signal? Is this the same Tig Krekel who is involved with a company named Sea Launch, which launches satellites form the equator directly south of Hawaii?
Mr. Fukanaga, did you ask for an accounting of financial viability of the nearly $300M project before committing $40M of harbor funds? Is your promotion from head of Hawaii Harbors to head of Department of Transportation justified if you didn’t? Many people don’t think so.
4. Why did the people who initiated the Superferry operation choose a vessel 107 meters, 350 feet in length with a capacity of 282 cars and 866 passengers when the former CEO of Austal, Mr. Alan Lerchbackeer recommended a 73 meter craft with less capacity, less expensive, cheaper to operate, and less polluting? He also had concerns about the financial viability, stating that with the current vessel, they will need 400 to 500 passengers per trip to break even. Superferry now estimates [then estimated] they will have average loads of 400 passengers and half the vehicles it is capable or carrying. Why did they design the ferry with roll on/roll off decks so high off the water requiring $40M in dock modifications? Why the fuel capacity of 56,800 gallons just to do inter-island travel?
Is this an intentional design for bankruptcy? Will Lehman and Krekel then purchase the vessels for pennies on the dollar for their intended use? [...] Many people are questioning the financial viability of the Superferry operation. Will it end up in bankruptcy with the taxpayers holding the bag for nearly $200M? Do you think these people are the least bit interested in the culture or environment of Kauai?
5. With the Senate Bill #1276 headed for the House, it may die there, or even if it passes the House in it’s watered down version, our wonderful Governor will have final say with a veto, BUT I am sure the over $25,000 in contributions to her last political campaign by individuals connected with Superferry will not influence her decisions about the bill passing, which has been backed by Maui, Hawaii Island, and Kauai County Councils, and the State Senate. If Senate Bill #1276 would pass the house without being killed by one single individual, House Rep. Joseph Souki, Governor Lingle’s veto would be going against every single political body in the State of Hawaii, except Oahu Council.
There is one step left, and it is probably the only thing Superferry will understand, that is legal action on all the errors they have committed over the last four years. They say that has already been attempted and they won, but they leave out the fact that one case is still pending at the State Supreme Court, and to this date, no court has heard arguments about the Endangered Species Act or the Marine Mammals Act, and there are legal entities waiting to see what happens with SB1276. As Yogi Berra said, 'It ain’t over till it’s over.'"
Richard Hoeppner, July 7, 2007. [For those of you who do not know, Rich is a retired police chief, not exactly the profile of a radical.]
OK, I'll try to find more on the liferafts.
Aloha, Brad
Friday, March 28, 2008
HI Superferry: Wow, that was fast...back from drydock
http://www.kitv.com/news/15729205/detail.html
"Superferry Returns To Honolulu Harbor
Vessel Spent Weeks In Dry Dock For Repairs"
POSTED: 8:37 pm HST March 27, 2008
"HONOLULU -- After more than a month under repair the Hawaii Superferry returned to its berth on Thursday. The troubled vessel now faces a Coast Guard inspection. "From the ship handling standpoint, this was kind of an abnormal day and an abnormal job," harbor pilot Capt. Edward Enos said....On Monday it will go to sea for its annual Coast Guard inspection. Going along on Monday's trial will be an 'international expert' in the Superferry's type of vessel....The Superferry's next challenge is to prove its reliability. Customers need to be sure that if they take their car to a neighbor island and they will be able to get it back after some were stranded over time."
Also, the Kailua Kona Act. 2 "EIS" scoping meeting took place yesterday. Here is a good AP report on it. [I will post a compilation of all the media reports on the Act. 2 scoping meetings]:
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080328/NEWS0101/803280339/1001/NEWS
Posted on: Friday, March 28, 2008
"Some in Kawaihae say town has little to offer ferry riders"
By Karin Stanton -- Associated Press
"KAILUA KONA, Hawai'i — Kawaihae town is not ready to handle Hawaii Superferry passengers in large numbers, residents told state officials and consultants.
Six people testified at yesterday afternoon's informational session; more people were expected to attend a second session last night.
The sessions, which started March 11 on Moloka'i and end Monday on Lana'i, are part of a statewide effort to gather public input ahead of a special environmental impact statement officials said they expect to finalize by May 2009.
The study, mandated last year, will address secondary impacts associated with Hawaii Superferry, which has struggled to keep afloat in a sea of legal and technical trouble and waves of community resistance since its launch last summer.
"We haven't received input that was unexpected," said Mike Formby, state Department of Transportation Harbors Division deputy director.
"Most people have highlighted impacts they want us to address. That includes traffic and invasive species, as well as military use and environmental impacts from that."
The Hawaii Superferry is scheduled to begin service to the west side of the Big Island in 2009, although a new multi-use pier is not expected to be completed by then.
Kawaihae Harbor is the only one of the four scheduled ferry ports in the state that does not accommodate cruise ships.
Although barges, cargo ships and the military regularly use Kawaihae Harbor, the town is served by a two-lane road and has little in the way of visitor attractions or services other than a couple of small restaurants and art galleries.
Kailua, Kona, is an hour's drive south, and Hilo is about 90 minutes away by car.
By comparison, the ferry docks right in developed and populated areas in Honolulu and Kahului, Maui. A strip mall is next to Nawiliwili Harbor on Kaua'i.
Three people said they would like the environmental impact study to address traffic control issues, pedestrian safety and protection of culturally significant sites.
Jim Donovan, a Kawaihae real-estate agent, said the area is not, and likely cannot be developed into, a visitor destination, especially for ferry passengers who arrive without vehicles.
"It's a small town and doesn't really have the attractions tourists are looking for," he said. "What are people going to do?"
James Karkheck, a Captain Cook coffee and fruit farmer, said he can see the benefits of Superferry for some commercial and military uses, but has not yet seen how it might benefit him.
"Tell me how it's going to help me get my produce to market, because I'm a farmer, and it's impractical.
'It's geared to the kind of traffic that will be least beneficial to the island,' he said."
Aloha, Brad
"Superferry Returns To Honolulu Harbor
Vessel Spent Weeks In Dry Dock For Repairs"
POSTED: 8:37 pm HST March 27, 2008
"HONOLULU -- After more than a month under repair the Hawaii Superferry returned to its berth on Thursday. The troubled vessel now faces a Coast Guard inspection. "From the ship handling standpoint, this was kind of an abnormal day and an abnormal job," harbor pilot Capt. Edward Enos said....On Monday it will go to sea for its annual Coast Guard inspection. Going along on Monday's trial will be an 'international expert' in the Superferry's type of vessel....The Superferry's next challenge is to prove its reliability. Customers need to be sure that if they take their car to a neighbor island and they will be able to get it back after some were stranded over time."
Also, the Kailua Kona Act. 2 "EIS" scoping meeting took place yesterday. Here is a good AP report on it. [I will post a compilation of all the media reports on the Act. 2 scoping meetings]:
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080328/NEWS0101/803280339/1001/NEWS
Posted on: Friday, March 28, 2008
"Some in Kawaihae say town has little to offer ferry riders"
By Karin Stanton -- Associated Press
"KAILUA KONA, Hawai'i — Kawaihae town is not ready to handle Hawaii Superferry passengers in large numbers, residents told state officials and consultants.
Six people testified at yesterday afternoon's informational session; more people were expected to attend a second session last night.
The sessions, which started March 11 on Moloka'i and end Monday on Lana'i, are part of a statewide effort to gather public input ahead of a special environmental impact statement officials said they expect to finalize by May 2009.
The study, mandated last year, will address secondary impacts associated with Hawaii Superferry, which has struggled to keep afloat in a sea of legal and technical trouble and waves of community resistance since its launch last summer.
"We haven't received input that was unexpected," said Mike Formby, state Department of Transportation Harbors Division deputy director.
"Most people have highlighted impacts they want us to address. That includes traffic and invasive species, as well as military use and environmental impacts from that."
The Hawaii Superferry is scheduled to begin service to the west side of the Big Island in 2009, although a new multi-use pier is not expected to be completed by then.
Kawaihae Harbor is the only one of the four scheduled ferry ports in the state that does not accommodate cruise ships.
Although barges, cargo ships and the military regularly use Kawaihae Harbor, the town is served by a two-lane road and has little in the way of visitor attractions or services other than a couple of small restaurants and art galleries.
Kailua, Kona, is an hour's drive south, and Hilo is about 90 minutes away by car.
By comparison, the ferry docks right in developed and populated areas in Honolulu and Kahului, Maui. A strip mall is next to Nawiliwili Harbor on Kaua'i.
Three people said they would like the environmental impact study to address traffic control issues, pedestrian safety and protection of culturally significant sites.
Jim Donovan, a Kawaihae real-estate agent, said the area is not, and likely cannot be developed into, a visitor destination, especially for ferry passengers who arrive without vehicles.
"It's a small town and doesn't really have the attractions tourists are looking for," he said. "What are people going to do?"
James Karkheck, a Captain Cook coffee and fruit farmer, said he can see the benefits of Superferry for some commercial and military uses, but has not yet seen how it might benefit him.
"Tell me how it's going to help me get my produce to market, because I'm a farmer, and it's impractical.
'It's geared to the kind of traffic that will be least beneficial to the island,' he said."
Aloha, Brad
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
HI Superferry: CNO comments on HSF
[Editor's note: CNO is the Chief of Naval Operations. He is the highest ranking U.S. Naval Officer, usually a 4 or 5 star Admiral and on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.]
There are so many posts I could put up right now, but this is the one that caught my eye today. It is an article from the current Navy Times. Navy Times calls the Alakai a "trimaran." It is not, it is a catamaran, if it were a trimaran, it might be more sound. Anyway here is the article:
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/03/navy_roughead_smallercrews_032508w/
CNO: Reducing crew sizes a top priority
By Philip Ewing - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Mar 25, 2008
"...In the case of one ship the Navy is confident it wants — the aluminum-hulled trimaran that General Dynamics and shipbuilder Austal are offering as LCS 2 — Roughead said he remains a believer in the ship’s novel design and materials, even after yard problems and problems with an earlier civilian variant on the design.
The Navy acknowledged in February that some transverse support beams under the LCS 2’s flight deck had bowed in the shipyard, and that the Navy and Austal would review the cost and possible delays involved with repairs. And another aluminum trimaran built by Austal, the Hawaii Superferry, stopped service until April 22 and is laid up in a shipyard with hull cracks near its auxiliary rudders, the Honolulu Advertiser reported.
Roughead said he didn’t think it was clear yet what had caused the Superferry to stop service, nor that it portended any problems for the Navy’s purchase.
'I’ve heard it’s everything from discomfort caused by the weather to the fact that they’ve had some mechanical glitches, I don’t have the details on it. I do believe in what I’ve seen in LCS 2, a ship that I think a very exciting design for the Navy, and I’m anxious to get it to sea and put it through its paces.'"
Also, there is a blogger named Springboard who has had a few interesting entries recently related to all of this. They are worth reading:
http://springboarder.blogspot.com/2008/03/naval-arms-race-trinidad-and-tobago-buy.html
http://springboarder.blogspot.com/2007/10/hawaii-superferry-john-lehman-takes.html
http://springboarder.blogspot.com/2008/02/jhsv-its-austalbath-ironworks-catfight.html
A researcher/writer asked me about the following grant recently. The dollar figure of the grant is interesting because it correlates closely to what the expected annual losses would have been if commercial operations had continued uninterrupted for a year at what the average ridership levels had been.
From: http://www.defenselink.mil/contracts/contract.aspx?contractid=3673
"Austal USA, Mobile, Ala., is being awarded a $33,710,000 firm-fixed-price contract for infrastructure improvements to the Austal Shipyard in Mobile, Ala. Contracted improvements at Austal USA are one of a series of contracts with Gulf Coast shipbuilders awarded under Section 2203 of Public Law 109-234, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Defense, The Global War on Terror and Hurricane Recovery 2006. This contract is for construction of a Modular Manufacturing Facility at Austal USA’s Mobile, Ala., shipyard. Austal was one of six Gulf Coast shipbuilders selected to receive infrastructure improvement contracts. The purpose is to expedite recovery of shipbuilding capability in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina by repairing and/or replacing shipbuilding facilities, to make lasting improvement in shipyard facilities that would result in measurable cost reductions in current and future Navy shipbuilding contracts, and to improve the ability of shipbuilding facilities on the Gulf Coast to withstand damage from potential hurricanes or other natural disasters. Work will be performed in Mobile, Ala, and is expected to be completed by Apr. 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was competitively procured and advertised via the Internet, with 18 proposals received from seven offerors. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C, is the contracting activity (N00024-08-C-2303)."
Aloha, Brad
There are so many posts I could put up right now, but this is the one that caught my eye today. It is an article from the current Navy Times. Navy Times calls the Alakai a "trimaran." It is not, it is a catamaran, if it were a trimaran, it might be more sound. Anyway here is the article:
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/03/navy_roughead_smallercrews_032508w/
CNO: Reducing crew sizes a top priority
By Philip Ewing - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Mar 25, 2008
"...In the case of one ship the Navy is confident it wants — the aluminum-hulled trimaran that General Dynamics and shipbuilder Austal are offering as LCS 2 — Roughead said he remains a believer in the ship’s novel design and materials, even after yard problems and problems with an earlier civilian variant on the design.
The Navy acknowledged in February that some transverse support beams under the LCS 2’s flight deck had bowed in the shipyard, and that the Navy and Austal would review the cost and possible delays involved with repairs. And another aluminum trimaran built by Austal, the Hawaii Superferry, stopped service until April 22 and is laid up in a shipyard with hull cracks near its auxiliary rudders, the Honolulu Advertiser reported.
Roughead said he didn’t think it was clear yet what had caused the Superferry to stop service, nor that it portended any problems for the Navy’s purchase.
'I’ve heard it’s everything from discomfort caused by the weather to the fact that they’ve had some mechanical glitches, I don’t have the details on it. I do believe in what I’ve seen in LCS 2, a ship that I think a very exciting design for the Navy, and I’m anxious to get it to sea and put it through its paces.'"
Also, there is a blogger named Springboard who has had a few interesting entries recently related to all of this. They are worth reading:
http://springboarder.blogspot.com/2008/03/naval-arms-race-trinidad-and-tobago-buy.html
http://springboarder.blogspot.com/2007/10/hawaii-superferry-john-lehman-takes.html
http://springboarder.blogspot.com/2008/02/jhsv-its-austalbath-ironworks-catfight.html
A researcher/writer asked me about the following grant recently. The dollar figure of the grant is interesting because it correlates closely to what the expected annual losses would have been if commercial operations had continued uninterrupted for a year at what the average ridership levels had been.
From: http://www.defenselink.mil/contracts/contract.aspx?contractid=3673
"Austal USA, Mobile, Ala., is being awarded a $33,710,000 firm-fixed-price contract for infrastructure improvements to the Austal Shipyard in Mobile, Ala. Contracted improvements at Austal USA are one of a series of contracts with Gulf Coast shipbuilders awarded under Section 2203 of Public Law 109-234, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Defense, The Global War on Terror and Hurricane Recovery 2006. This contract is for construction of a Modular Manufacturing Facility at Austal USA’s Mobile, Ala., shipyard. Austal was one of six Gulf Coast shipbuilders selected to receive infrastructure improvement contracts. The purpose is to expedite recovery of shipbuilding capability in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina by repairing and/or replacing shipbuilding facilities, to make lasting improvement in shipyard facilities that would result in measurable cost reductions in current and future Navy shipbuilding contracts, and to improve the ability of shipbuilding facilities on the Gulf Coast to withstand damage from potential hurricanes or other natural disasters. Work will be performed in Mobile, Ala, and is expected to be completed by Apr. 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was competitively procured and advertised via the Internet, with 18 proposals received from seven offerors. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C, is the contracting activity (N00024-08-C-2303)."
Aloha, Brad
Sunday, March 23, 2008
HI Superferry: Back from a week on Kauai
I'll do a full post here soon. For now I will just say I had a great time on Kauai and say thanks to Scott for hooking me up. Enjoyed Carlos and Steve's radio show. Special thanks to Rich and Judie for the room and car; great, great people! Loved the two sessions of Kauai testimony, esp. the ukulele song at the end about "doing what is right." Special thanks to Koohan for an insiders tour of the Northshore, and for her additional assistance. Also, enjoyed attending/observing two additional meetings regarding issues on Kauai and continuation of the coalitions there. Thanks to all of the people who knew me before I met them. There is a lot of hospitality on Kauai. Especially enjoyed checking out the Farmer's Markets on the Northshore. Oh my God, that Hanalei Farmer's Market is the frickin' bomb. Got some great pics and will get them up here soon.
Some good pics in here:
No GMO...Taro pics:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21400600@N03/sets/72157604228174326/show/
Kauai Farmers Markets:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21400600@N03/sets/72157604228224144/show/
Kauai Northshore Eclectic:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21400600@N03/sets/72157604232801983/show/
Kauai Hindu Monastery:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21400600@N03/sets/72157604232819677/show/
Kauai Act. 2 EIS Scoping Meeting:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21400600@N03/sets/72157604232927205/show/
Kauai M-19 Protest:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21400600@N03/sets/72157604228417764/show/
Aloha, Brad
Some good pics in here:
No GMO...Taro pics:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21400600@N03/sets/72157604228174326/show/
Kauai Farmers Markets:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21400600@N03/sets/72157604228224144/show/
Kauai Northshore Eclectic:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21400600@N03/sets/72157604232801983/show/
Kauai Hindu Monastery:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21400600@N03/sets/72157604232819677/show/
Kauai Act. 2 EIS Scoping Meeting:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21400600@N03/sets/72157604232927205/show/
Kauai M-19 Protest:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21400600@N03/sets/72157604228417764/show/
Aloha, Brad
Monday, March 17, 2008
HI Superferry: Maui Act. 2 EIS Scoping Meeting
The following link is to the Belt Collins handout at the Maui Act. 2 Superferry EIS hearing. I also took some pictures of overheads and diagrams that I will get up on flickr soon. This was a scoping meeting meaning they want to hear what the scope of the EIS study should be. But, I noticed in their handout, particularly in the "Need" section that they make a number of weak if not false assumptions. I made notes on my first two pages.
http://www.malamakauai.org/docs/Superferry-EIS_03-17-08.pdf
People on Maui spoke mostly from prepared statements, because they did not have a copy of this handout beforehand. I am sending it to you all to share with anyone interested there so that you can look at this beforehand and comment on some of the inconsistencies, but also to see the limited scope that they have previously contemplated.
Here are the best pics I took at the Maui Act. 2 EIS Scoping Meeting:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21400600@N03/sets/72157604148148905/
Something else another speaker noticed, when Uncle Les spoke to the Belt Collins and DOT rep., there was thunder outside. We almost never have thunder on Maui.
Aloha, Brad
http://www.malamakauai.org/docs/Superferry-EIS_03-17-08.pdf
People on Maui spoke mostly from prepared statements, because they did not have a copy of this handout beforehand. I am sending it to you all to share with anyone interested there so that you can look at this beforehand and comment on some of the inconsistencies, but also to see the limited scope that they have previously contemplated.
Here are the best pics I took at the Maui Act. 2 EIS Scoping Meeting:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21400600@N03/sets/72157604148148905/
Something else another speaker noticed, when Uncle Les spoke to the Belt Collins and DOT rep., there was thunder outside. We almost never have thunder on Maui.
Aloha, Brad
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Superferry EIS Scoping Meetings
Superferry EIS Meeting - Monday, March 17
From: Dick Mayer
HAWAII SUPERFERRY - MAUI EIS SCOPING MEETINGS
TO DETERMINE WHAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE SUPERFERRY EIS
-----------------------------------------------------------
Maui's EIS meetings are set for THIS Monday, March 17
Maui's Baldwin High School Auditorium
Afternoon 2pm to 5pm OR Evening 6pm to 9pm
Kauai's EIS meetings are set for THIS Wed., March 19
Kaua`i Community College Performing Arts Center
Afternoon 2pm to 5pm OR Evening 6pm to 9pm
-----------------------------------------------------------
PLEASE COME TO ONE OF THE MEETINGS TO SHARE YOUR CONCERNS:
BE SPECIFIC IN WHAT YOU WANT THE EIS TO INCLUDE.
- THREATS TO MAUI/LOCAL RESOURCES
- KAHULUI HARBOR IMPACTS (Congestion, freight delivery, surf, canoes)
- TRAFFIC
- INVASIVE SPECIES
- WHALES
- OTHER ENDANGERED SPECIES
- FUEL CONSUMPTION
- PARKING
- COST / BENEFITS
- USE OF STATE FUNDS
- RESPONSIBILITY FOR ONGOING REPAIRS & MAINTENANCE
- HARBOR SECURITY
- NOISE
- DAMAGE FROM SF's WATER JETS
- IMPACTS ON NEIGHBORING BUSINESSES
- NIGHT TRANSITS WITH THE 2ND SUPERFERRY
- CAMPING IN PROHIBITED AREAS
PICK A FEW AND BE SPECIFIC IN WHAT YOU WANT THE EIS TO INCLUDE.
-----------------------------------------------------------
http://www.mauitime.com/Articles-i-2008-03-13-175674.112113_Boat_Talk.html
Maui Time Weekly March 13, 2008
15 reasons to worry about the Hawai`i Superferry
by Anthony Pignataro
The state's doing the whole Hawai'i SuperferryEnvironmental Impact Statement (EIS) thing bass-ackwards, which means hearings on how the big boat will affect us are starting up now, after the boat's been more or less operating for four months. Here are 15 things to think about during the upcoming Maui hearing:
1 Hawai'i Superferry Inc. officials told the state Public Utilities Commission that, at most,the Alakai would lose 10 days a year to bad weather. Since the boat started service on Dec.13, she's missed 14.
2 The Superferry Alakai is, at the moment, still being repaired after being seriously damaged when company officials had it drydocked to repair anauxiliary rudder problem.
3 According to the Feb. 2, 2008 Maui News, Mayor Charmaine Tavares banned all county employees from using the Superferry for official business.
4 Two words: seasick pills.
5 A Dec. 29, 2004 Department of Transportation (DOT) memo written by unknowns and unearthed by the Advertiser during a public records request says requiring a Superferry environmental review before the boat begins service is the "Rightthing to do," brings "Less risk in that we avoid probable challenges," "Would address public concerns," "minimize opposition," "gain support"and is necessary because "Comments received todate are valid concerns and should not be left unanswered."
6 Despite investing $1 million in Hawai'i Superferry, Inc., the Maui Land & Pineapple Company is not using the boat to ship any fruit because, according to the Feb. 3, 2008 Honolulu Advertiser, it's not "cost-effective."
7 The boat, despite being capable of carrying 866 passengers and 282 cars, hasn't carried anywhere near those numbers.
8 It costs an extra $20 on top of the regular passenger fare to get into the Hahalua Lounge that overlooks the boat's bow.
9 John Lehman, HSF's Chairman of the Board, is a former U.S. Navy Secretary who once ordered Naval Investigative Service agents to investigate an archbishop simply because he was an outspoken opponent of Lehman's plan to name a nuclear-powered attack submarine the USS Corpus Christi. [What about the 911 Commission's incomplete report?]
10 State Senator J. Kalani English sent out a Dec. 18, 2007 press release saying that he"received a report that a Young Brothers vessel carrying goods to Maui was forced to remain outside Kahului Harbor while the Superferry was docked" and that while he understood "that was because of security measures we should not have to decide between serving inter-island travelers and serving our own residents' daily needs."
11 That same Dec. 29, 2004 DOT memo cited above aid not doing a Superferry environmental review before service began "may trigger a challenge where we may be subject to the courts' schedule and processes."
12 The unanimous Aug. 23, 2007 Hawai'i SupremeCourt ruling saying that contrary to the insistences of HSF and Governor Linda Lingle,there did in fact need to be a Superferry environmental review.
13 Despite repeated assurances from HSF officials that they intend to return to Kauai, the Superferry has not attempted to return to Nawiliwili Harbor since Aug. 26, 2007, when nearly three-dozen protesters on surfboards blocked its arrival.
14 On Nov. 9, 2007, a few days before Judge Joseph Cardoza lifted the injunction he'd placed on the Superferry preventing it from entering Kahului Harbor, HSF officials told the statePublic Utilities Commission that "an emergency exists" and that they need special expedited review of new promotional fares because "any delays will result in substantial damage to HSF." The PUC agreed and approved the new fares without public comment or even announcement, which is completely legal in the State of Hawai'i.
15 Between 2004 and 2007, Hawai'i Superferry officials spent $175,000 on lobbyists and political campaign contributions-$12,000 of which went to Governor Lingle, HSF's staunchest supporter during the time.
State officials will hold two "informational meetings" on the Hawai'i Superferry EIS on Monday, Mar. 17 (2-5 p.m., 6-9 p.m.) at the Henry Perrine Baldwin High School Auditorium, 1650 Ka'ahumanu Ave., Wailuku. MTW
From: Dick Mayer
HAWAII SUPERFERRY - MAUI EIS SCOPING MEETINGS
TO DETERMINE WHAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE SUPERFERRY EIS
-----------------------------------------------------------
Maui's EIS meetings are set for THIS Monday, March 17
Maui's Baldwin High School Auditorium
Afternoon 2pm to 5pm OR Evening 6pm to 9pm
Kauai's EIS meetings are set for THIS Wed., March 19
Kaua`i Community College Performing Arts Center
Afternoon 2pm to 5pm OR Evening 6pm to 9pm
-----------------------------------------------------------
PLEASE COME TO ONE OF THE MEETINGS TO SHARE YOUR CONCERNS:
BE SPECIFIC IN WHAT YOU WANT THE EIS TO INCLUDE.
- THREATS TO MAUI/LOCAL RESOURCES
- KAHULUI HARBOR IMPACTS (Congestion, freight delivery, surf, canoes)
- TRAFFIC
- INVASIVE SPECIES
- WHALES
- OTHER ENDANGERED SPECIES
- FUEL CONSUMPTION
- PARKING
- COST / BENEFITS
- USE OF STATE FUNDS
- RESPONSIBILITY FOR ONGOING REPAIRS & MAINTENANCE
- HARBOR SECURITY
- NOISE
- DAMAGE FROM SF's WATER JETS
- IMPACTS ON NEIGHBORING BUSINESSES
- NIGHT TRANSITS WITH THE 2ND SUPERFERRY
- CAMPING IN PROHIBITED AREAS
PICK A FEW AND BE SPECIFIC IN WHAT YOU WANT THE EIS TO INCLUDE.
-----------------------------------------------------------
http://www.mauitime.com/Articles-i-2008-03-13-175674.112113_Boat_Talk.html
Maui Time Weekly March 13, 2008
15 reasons to worry about the Hawai`i Superferry
by Anthony Pignataro
The state's doing the whole Hawai'i SuperferryEnvironmental Impact Statement (EIS) thing bass-ackwards, which means hearings on how the big boat will affect us are starting up now, after the boat's been more or less operating for four months. Here are 15 things to think about during the upcoming Maui hearing:
1 Hawai'i Superferry Inc. officials told the state Public Utilities Commission that, at most,the Alakai would lose 10 days a year to bad weather. Since the boat started service on Dec.13, she's missed 14.
2 The Superferry Alakai is, at the moment, still being repaired after being seriously damaged when company officials had it drydocked to repair anauxiliary rudder problem.
3 According to the Feb. 2, 2008 Maui News, Mayor Charmaine Tavares banned all county employees from using the Superferry for official business.
4 Two words: seasick pills.
5 A Dec. 29, 2004 Department of Transportation (DOT) memo written by unknowns and unearthed by the Advertiser during a public records request says requiring a Superferry environmental review before the boat begins service is the "Rightthing to do," brings "Less risk in that we avoid probable challenges," "Would address public concerns," "minimize opposition," "gain support"and is necessary because "Comments received todate are valid concerns and should not be left unanswered."
6 Despite investing $1 million in Hawai'i Superferry, Inc., the Maui Land & Pineapple Company is not using the boat to ship any fruit because, according to the Feb. 3, 2008 Honolulu Advertiser, it's not "cost-effective."
7 The boat, despite being capable of carrying 866 passengers and 282 cars, hasn't carried anywhere near those numbers.
8 It costs an extra $20 on top of the regular passenger fare to get into the Hahalua Lounge that overlooks the boat's bow.
9 John Lehman, HSF's Chairman of the Board, is a former U.S. Navy Secretary who once ordered Naval Investigative Service agents to investigate an archbishop simply because he was an outspoken opponent of Lehman's plan to name a nuclear-powered attack submarine the USS Corpus Christi. [What about the 911 Commission's incomplete report?]
10 State Senator J. Kalani English sent out a Dec. 18, 2007 press release saying that he"received a report that a Young Brothers vessel carrying goods to Maui was forced to remain outside Kahului Harbor while the Superferry was docked" and that while he understood "that was because of security measures we should not have to decide between serving inter-island travelers and serving our own residents' daily needs."
11 That same Dec. 29, 2004 DOT memo cited above aid not doing a Superferry environmental review before service began "may trigger a challenge where we may be subject to the courts' schedule and processes."
12 The unanimous Aug. 23, 2007 Hawai'i SupremeCourt ruling saying that contrary to the insistences of HSF and Governor Linda Lingle,there did in fact need to be a Superferry environmental review.
13 Despite repeated assurances from HSF officials that they intend to return to Kauai, the Superferry has not attempted to return to Nawiliwili Harbor since Aug. 26, 2007, when nearly three-dozen protesters on surfboards blocked its arrival.
14 On Nov. 9, 2007, a few days before Judge Joseph Cardoza lifted the injunction he'd placed on the Superferry preventing it from entering Kahului Harbor, HSF officials told the statePublic Utilities Commission that "an emergency exists" and that they need special expedited review of new promotional fares because "any delays will result in substantial damage to HSF." The PUC agreed and approved the new fares without public comment or even announcement, which is completely legal in the State of Hawai'i.
15 Between 2004 and 2007, Hawai'i Superferry officials spent $175,000 on lobbyists and political campaign contributions-$12,000 of which went to Governor Lingle, HSF's staunchest supporter during the time.
State officials will hold two "informational meetings" on the Hawai'i Superferry EIS on Monday, Mar. 17 (2-5 p.m., 6-9 p.m.) at the Henry Perrine Baldwin High School Auditorium, 1650 Ka'ahumanu Ave., Wailuku. MTW
Saturday, March 15, 2008
HI Superferry: No interest in input on Oahu?
Two good articles in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin. First, a report on a total of 12 people showing up for the Oahu EIS public input meetings:
http://starbulletin.com/2008/03/15/news/story10.html
My comments to that:
Oahu is over it. There were about that many people riding it the last few days it operated. And when/if it restarts again I doubt Oahu people will have the disposable income to waste on this roller coaster thrill ride to the outer islands. Where are the "thousands" of people on Oahu who "want" it? Where are all the paid employees showing up to lobby on the company's behalf? Could it be that they are a little disappointed too with the unreliable employment?
Move it to Puget Sound...where it can be useful.
And a nice opinion piece also today in the Star-Bulletin regarding the late state audit of this:
http://starbulletin.com/2008/03/15/editorial/editorial01.html
Aloha, Brad
http://starbulletin.com/2008/03/15/news/story10.html
My comments to that:
Oahu is over it. There were about that many people riding it the last few days it operated. And when/if it restarts again I doubt Oahu people will have the disposable income to waste on this roller coaster thrill ride to the outer islands. Where are the "thousands" of people on Oahu who "want" it? Where are all the paid employees showing up to lobby on the company's behalf? Could it be that they are a little disappointed too with the unreliable employment?
Move it to Puget Sound...where it can be useful.
And a nice opinion piece also today in the Star-Bulletin regarding the late state audit of this:
http://starbulletin.com/2008/03/15/editorial/editorial01.html
Aloha, Brad
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Follow-up on Whales and Sonar
Dr. Tepley just sent out an informative piece regarding active sonar and marine mammals. I am reposting part of it here:
The Navy draft EIS for use of sonar as part of the Hawaii Range Complex is seriously flawed - feel free to circulate:
Aloha all:
I forced myself to scan thru the 116 page Draft EIS and was amazed to find that it almost completely ignores the most serious problems that mid-frequency (MFA) sonar will cause to deep diving whales in Hawaiian waters. Therefore, I think that additional analysis should be done and the Draft EIS should be completely rewritten.
The web page might be easier to read than the PDF document. To get there first go to my Superferry web site at http://web.mac.com/leetepley/Site/Introduction.html.
Then click on the link near the top of the page called "Link to Sonar HRC DEIS page."
Before you start clicking, you might be interested in the following background information.
About 7 years ago I spent a lot of time researching both Low frequency (LFA) and mid frequency (MFA) sonar. My efforts were actually taken seriously and I was invited to present a paper at a NMFS workshop in Silver Springs Md. in 2002. My paper turned out to be of no great importance - but I was fortunate to be present to hear new ideas relating to the causes of stranding and death of deep diving whales - and especially beaked whales.
At the NMFS meeting the concept of whales getting decompression sickness (the bends) was seriously debated. As a result, Dr. John Potter, who attended the meeting and is a brilliant physicist, wrote a paper on the subject of whales getting the bends.
Dr. Potter's results are now widely accepted and other scientists have written similar papers - but in the HRC draft EIS, the Navy has almost ignored this highly relevant work. Instead, their scientists and mathematicians went off on a tangent similar to what they had done in other earlier EIS's. The result is a 116 page document which, I think, ignores the threat to deep diving whales from mid frequency (MFA) sonar.
Now, you might want to click on the PDF file or go to my new sonar web site.
Aloha, Lee
The Navy draft EIS for use of sonar as part of the Hawaii Range Complex is seriously flawed - feel free to circulate:
Aloha all:
I forced myself to scan thru the 116 page Draft EIS and was amazed to find that it almost completely ignores the most serious problems that mid-frequency (MFA) sonar will cause to deep diving whales in Hawaiian waters. Therefore, I think that additional analysis should be done and the Draft EIS should be completely rewritten.
The web page might be easier to read than the PDF document. To get there first go to my Superferry web site at http://web.mac.com/leetepley/Site/Introduction.html.
Then click on the link near the top of the page called "Link to Sonar HRC DEIS page."
Before you start clicking, you might be interested in the following background information.
About 7 years ago I spent a lot of time researching both Low frequency (LFA) and mid frequency (MFA) sonar. My efforts were actually taken seriously and I was invited to present a paper at a NMFS workshop in Silver Springs Md. in 2002. My paper turned out to be of no great importance - but I was fortunate to be present to hear new ideas relating to the causes of stranding and death of deep diving whales - and especially beaked whales.
At the NMFS meeting the concept of whales getting decompression sickness (the bends) was seriously debated. As a result, Dr. John Potter, who attended the meeting and is a brilliant physicist, wrote a paper on the subject of whales getting the bends.
Dr. Potter's results are now widely accepted and other scientists have written similar papers - but in the HRC draft EIS, the Navy has almost ignored this highly relevant work. Instead, their scientists and mathematicians went off on a tangent similar to what they had done in other earlier EIS's. The result is a 116 page document which, I think, ignores the threat to deep diving whales from mid frequency (MFA) sonar.
Now, you might want to click on the PDF file or go to my new sonar web site.
Aloha, Lee
HI Superferry: Locals Perspective on HSF
Yesterday's commentary on HSF by Lee Cataluna in the Honolulu Advertiser struck me as a pretty good example of the local perspective on HSF. Locals will give almost anything a chance, but I believe their patience as prospective consumers of this service was worn thin on this at the end of January-early February when the ridership declined to almost nothing. More comments below. Here is Lee Cataluna's commentary:
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080311/COLUMNISTS02/803110350/1120/COLUMNISTS02#Anchor-StoryChat
Posted on: Tuesday, March 11, 2008
"Lessons of history lost on Superferry"
By Lee Cataluna Advertiser Columnist
"In just a matter of months, the Hawaii Superferry has gone from heavy hype and polished promises to weather-beaten underdog status.
The Alakai is sitting in drydock undergoing repairs like a formerly promising race horse back at the farm healing shin splints. The vessel has been there since the middle of February and is estimated to stay there through most of April.
Didn't Superferry officials say they would have to take their business elsewhere if they stayed out of service for very long? Hmmm.
It was just last October when the Superferry execs were warning state lawmakers that if they didn't get back in the water soon, all would be lost. Close to 250 workers were laid off while court orders kept the Alakai from making interisland runs.
State lawmakers went into special session for the Superferry to enact legislation to allow it to operate while it proved its operations weren't going to harm the environment. Special session, because it couldn't wait until January when the regular session opened. Nope, time was of the essence.
And now, look. Waiting, idling, extended relaunch dates. It wasn't surfers in Nawiliwili Harbor or sign wavers on Maui who stopped the Superferry this time. It was the ocean and the vessel's design.
A mean person might declare "bachi," but that would be kicking them when they're down. Still, even a Superferry fan would have to acknowledge that fate sure caught up to the hype.
Turns out the Alakai isn't as unaffected by Hawai'i's notoriously rough winter seas as was promised.
Turns out it can actually stay in business through an extended waiting period while stuff gets worked out.
Turns out even on a calm ocean, the ride can be a queasy challenge even with Dramamine and the wrist bands.
Turns out when you take your car over to Maui but have to fly back to O'ahu, your car doesn't come home with you.
Perhaps Superferry, in its excitement to do something brand new and big, forgot to pay attention to the lessons of history.
1. Starting a new business in Hawai'i is tough.
2. You should probably make sure all the legal stuff is taken care of before you embark on, well, anything.
3. Hawai'i doesn't have winter, but it sure has winter surf.
4. Never assume you're exempt to any of the above conditions."
Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. END ARTICLE
It's time to move it to Puget Sound, guys. There was another good AP article about the Washington ferries yesterday. It mentioned a quarter of all ferry ridership in the U.S. is in Washington state. There's your market, guys...not the rough year-around channel waters of HI. Do what you gotta do to fix it in drydock and move this one and the next one to Washington.
Hawaii can find another ferry company with half the gas guzzelling engine power and speed of these ferries to make use of the $40 million dollars in facilities we are stuck with. Let's just be honest, Linda Lingle does not have experience in picking marriage partners of any kin. Let's just make this an amicable divorce.
Aloha, Brad
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080311/COLUMNISTS02/803110350/1120/COLUMNISTS02#Anchor-StoryChat
Posted on: Tuesday, March 11, 2008
"Lessons of history lost on Superferry"
By Lee Cataluna Advertiser Columnist
"In just a matter of months, the Hawaii Superferry has gone from heavy hype and polished promises to weather-beaten underdog status.
The Alakai is sitting in drydock undergoing repairs like a formerly promising race horse back at the farm healing shin splints. The vessel has been there since the middle of February and is estimated to stay there through most of April.
Didn't Superferry officials say they would have to take their business elsewhere if they stayed out of service for very long? Hmmm.
It was just last October when the Superferry execs were warning state lawmakers that if they didn't get back in the water soon, all would be lost. Close to 250 workers were laid off while court orders kept the Alakai from making interisland runs.
State lawmakers went into special session for the Superferry to enact legislation to allow it to operate while it proved its operations weren't going to harm the environment. Special session, because it couldn't wait until January when the regular session opened. Nope, time was of the essence.
And now, look. Waiting, idling, extended relaunch dates. It wasn't surfers in Nawiliwili Harbor or sign wavers on Maui who stopped the Superferry this time. It was the ocean and the vessel's design.
A mean person might declare "bachi," but that would be kicking them when they're down. Still, even a Superferry fan would have to acknowledge that fate sure caught up to the hype.
Turns out the Alakai isn't as unaffected by Hawai'i's notoriously rough winter seas as was promised.
Turns out it can actually stay in business through an extended waiting period while stuff gets worked out.
Turns out even on a calm ocean, the ride can be a queasy challenge even with Dramamine and the wrist bands.
Turns out when you take your car over to Maui but have to fly back to O'ahu, your car doesn't come home with you.
Perhaps Superferry, in its excitement to do something brand new and big, forgot to pay attention to the lessons of history.
1. Starting a new business in Hawai'i is tough.
2. You should probably make sure all the legal stuff is taken care of before you embark on, well, anything.
3. Hawai'i doesn't have winter, but it sure has winter surf.
4. Never assume you're exempt to any of the above conditions."
Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. END ARTICLE
It's time to move it to Puget Sound, guys. There was another good AP article about the Washington ferries yesterday. It mentioned a quarter of all ferry ridership in the U.S. is in Washington state. There's your market, guys...not the rough year-around channel waters of HI. Do what you gotta do to fix it in drydock and move this one and the next one to Washington.
Hawaii can find another ferry company with half the gas guzzelling engine power and speed of these ferries to make use of the $40 million dollars in facilities we are stuck with. Let's just be honest, Linda Lingle does not have experience in picking marriage partners of any kin. Let's just make this an amicable divorce.
Aloha, Brad
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