US Agencies Ink MOU for Hawaii Emergency Harbor Assessments
The U.S. Coast Guard signed a memorandum of understanding in June with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Coast Survey, State of Hawaii Department of Transportation, and United States Army Corps of Engineers regarding maritime emergency harbor assessments within federal waterways in Hawaii.This agreement means the partners can work more efficiently and effectively to assess the State's harbors following disasters, such as severe weather events, to restore…
PVA Submits Testimony to Hawaii Legislature
Last week,The Passenger Vessel Association (PVA) submitted written testimony to the Hawaii State Senate, in support of Senator Inouye's proposed bill SB1505, as discussed at a joint hearing of the Committee on Transportation and the Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental Affairs, and Military Affairs.The proposed statute, SB1505, would authorize the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) to make commercial harbor facilities temporarily available as a harbor of safe refuge when the National Weather Service forecasts a tropical storm or hurricane strength cyclones…
In the wake of Hurricane Lane, Cargo Ops Resume in Hawaii
With the arrival of the container ship Horizon Pacific, Pasha Hawaii resumed operations at Pier 51, the first ship to arrive in Honolulu Harbor after Pasha Hawaii received an all clear to resume cargo operations from the U.S. Coast Guard and Hawaii Department of Transportation following the passage of Hurricane Lane over the Hawaiian Islands.On Wednesday, August 22, the U.S. Coast Guard granted temporary approval for Horizon Pacific to dock at Pier 51, allowing limited discharge of the ship’s cargo.
Sunken Dry Dock Removed from Honolulu Harbor
A damaged dry dock vessel has been removed from Honolulu Harbor last month after electrical problems caused the vessel to sink in September 2015, the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) announced. The dry dock, named Kapilipono, took on water and sunk in its berth on September 9, 2015 due to an electrical malfunction. In the following months, recovery plans were activated, the water was removed and the vessel was refloated in January. Kapilipono was fully cleaned of any and all petroleum products, and all cargo holds, tanks, voids and bilges were emptied as verified by the U.S.
USCG Reopens Port Allen Post Hurricane Ana
The Coast Guard Captain of the Port reopened Port Allen in Kauai Monday morning after surveying crews deemed it safe for transit. The maritime public is advised to be vigilant when entering ports and harbors and to cooperate with the direction of the Coast Guard and local harbor masters. Mariners seeking additional information on port and harbor openings should contact Sector Honolulu at (808) 842-2600 or monitor VHF Channel 16 or the Hawaii Department of Transportation Harbors Division at http://hidot.hawaii.gov/harbors/.
USCG Responds to Honolulu Harbor Molasses Spill
Coast Guard Sector Honolulu received an official request from the Hawaii Department of Health to assist with the response to the molasses spill in Honolulu Harbor Friday. “The Coast Guard is prepared to bring all the requested resources to this incident to support our state and local partner agencies” said Capt. Shannon Gilreath, captain of the port Honolulu. “We have been working closely with state partners since the spill occurred to offer advice and resources. The Coast Guard began supporting the response Monday morning when investigators from Sector Honolulu responded to a report of discolored water in the harbor. Since then, the Coast Guard has held daily meetings with the lead State agency, Hawaii Department of Health.
Honolulu Harbor Molasses Spill: Coast Guard Assist
State officials in Hawaii consider there's little they can do to clean up a 223,000-gallon molasses spill that has killed thousands of fish, as swimmers, surfers and snorkelers were being warned that the massive die-off could attract sharks. A cracked pipe on a loading jetty caused the spill, according to NPR. The request for federal assistance allows the Coast Guard to support the lead agency with a wide variety of resources to include specialized response personnel, boats and equipment from the Coast Guard and other Federal Agencies. The captain of the port requested support from the Coast Guard’s National Strike Force for water sampling and monitoring and is currently coordinating with technical specialists from the EPA to help assess additional response mitigation strategies.
Mineta Surveys Future Home of SuperFerry
U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta got a first-hand look at Honolulu Harbor’s infrastructure needs during a tour with Gov. Linda Lingle and Hawaii Department of Transportation Director Rodney Haraga. Secretary Mineta visited the Pier 19 terminal facility, which was built with the help of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and heard from state leaders about plans for the Superferry project. “For many Americans, our maritime industry and our port infrastructure network go largely unnoticed,” Secretary Mineta said. Secretary Mineta toured the Pier 19 shoreside facility planned as the future home of the Superferry in Honolulu. “Governor Lingle understands the importance of maritime transportation and its ability to move the economy,” Secretary Mineta said.
