Hawaii to Spend $842m on Ports

Hawaii to Spend $842m on Ports
(Cargo News Asia)

Hawaii governor Linda Lingle unveiled a plan to modernise the state’s commercial ports over a period of six years at an estimated total cost of US$842 million.

The ports to be improved include Kahului harbour at Maui, Honolulu harbour and Kalaeloa Barbers Point harbour at Oahu, Hilo and Kawaihae harbours at the main island of Hawaii, and Nawiliwili harbur at Kauai.

Among the big ticket items are a container wharf capable of berthing two vessels and a 70-acre container storage yard for Honolulu, a dedicated fuel pier for Kalaeloa Barbers Point, a barge terminal for Hilo, multiuse piers for Nawiliwili and Kawaihae, and a new cruise terminal for Kahului.

The plan was developed by the harbours division of the state Department of Transportation and the Hawaii Harbour Users Group. The harbours modernisation plan will implement harbour infrastructure improvements to accommodate projected ocean cargo increases and growth in cruise ship passenger numbers to and between the islands of Hawaii through 2030.

As an island state, Hawaii relies heavily on its commercial harbours and imported cargo to meet the demands of its residents, businesses and visitors. In fiscal 2005 to 2006, the statewide system of 10 commercial harbours handled 20.7 million tonnes of cargo, 1.5 million TEUs, 338,000 automobiles and trucks, and nearly two million cruise passengers.