Hawaii Superferry yesterday suspended voyages to Kaua‘i indefinitely, following two days of intensifying protests. Both Gov. Linda Lingle and Coast Guard officials stepped in yesterday to request that the company cancel its Kaua‘i voyage in light of safety concerns. Pressure
Hawaii Superferry yesterday suspended voyages to Kaua‘i indefinitely, following two days of intensifying protests.
Both Gov. Linda Lingle and Coast Guard officials stepped in yesterday to request that the company cancel its Kaua‘i voyage in light of safety concerns.
Pressure had been mounting for Lingle to intervene, as protesters and law enforcement ramped up for another round of demonstrations, the most recent of which prevented the “Alakai” from docking at Nawiliwili Harbor Monday night.
Hawaii Superferry President and CEO John Garibaldi made the announcement yesterday at 3 p.m., when the Alakai would otherwise have departed for the Garden Isle from O‘ahu.
Garibaldi said the 350-foot ferry will resume service when Coast Guard and other agencies can assure a safe operating environment.
The company, which invested $300 million to launch Hawai‘i’s first passenger-vehicle ferry service, faces losing millions of dollars while its vessel is grounded.
“The cost to us really isn’t very important,” Garibaldi said. “It’s really making sure we can take care of our passengers.”
Roughly 65 environmental protesters in the water blocked the vessel late Monday, stalling the ship for three hours as Coast Guard vessels, including an 85-foot cutter, failed to clear the way.
Similar efforts on Sunday resulted in delays for passengers exiting and entering the ship during its inaugural paying voyage, which was bumped up by a few days after getting the green light from the Department of Transportation in the face of opposition and a court ruling — a move interpreted by many as defiant.
State Sen. Gary Hooser, D-Kaua‘i/Ni‘ihau, on Monday asked Lingle to intervene and implement a “cooling-off period.” On the recent developments, he said Lingle’s action is a “good first step” but more needs to be done.
“The governor and the Department of Transportation need to ensure a process that results in a credible, comprehensive review of environmental impacts,” Hooser said yesterday.
Without a “good faith effort” to earn the public’s confidence, Hooser said he expects that protests will resume in some form.
Prior to the suspension of Kaua‘i service, local leaders such as County Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura called for a halt to the ferry’s arrival — via the Governor’s Office or a temporary restraining order on Kaua‘i.
“It’s terrible when citizens like our police are being pitted against other citizens when the whole goal is to follow the law,” she said.
Yukimura, too, expressed gratitude for the break in service, which she doesn’t want to see end any time soon.
“I hope that this can now be settled in the courts,” she said.
Mayor Bryan Baptiste, who has remained mum on the subject, was out of town yesterday, along with the county’s public information officer. Neither could be reached for comment.
Garibaldi and the governor said it’s unfair that the Superferry is being singled out when cruise ships, cargo carriers and other vessels have not been required to conduct environmental reviews.
Earlier Monday, a state judge ruled the Superferry couldn’t use Kahului Harbor on Maui, supporting a challenge by three environmentalist organizations. The groups sought the temporary restraining order to halt the Superferry from using the harbor until an environmental assessment is conducted.
At a hearing set for today, a Circuit Court judge will consider a request for a preliminary injunction that could further delay the service.
Superferry officials were hopeful leading up to the proceeding.
But Rich Hoeppner, spokesman for People for the Preservation of Kaua‘i, said he plans to testify at the Maui hearing and request that Kaua‘i be added to the scope of the requested injunction.
Attorney Isaac Hall, who represents the Sierra Club, Maui Tomorrow Inc. and the Kahului Harbor Coalition, was not immediately available for comment.
The Superferry started trips on Sunday, two days ahead of schedule, after the Hawai‘i Supreme Court ruled last week that the state should have required an environmental assessment before the ferry launched. State transportation officials, noting that the court didn’t explicitly say the ship couldn’t run, allowed the service to start.
An opinion on that ruling has not yet been issued.
Lingle, who has publicly supported the Superferry, said the high court’s ruling “opens up all kinds of questions” for future state-funded improvements, including at airports.
“We’ve never required an environmental assessment on one vessel in our state’s history,” she said.
With the schedule of future voyages uncertain, Hawaii Superferry offered stranded passengers — many of whom returned to Honolulu after the ship failed to dock on Kaua‘i Monday night — hotel stays, return air fare, ground transportation, car shipment and other related expenses, the company said.
Customers who have already booked passage will be issued refunds upon request to the company’s Web site or reservations center.
• The Associated Press contributed to this report.
