The Hawaii Superferry website is reporting that the ferry’s dry dock has again been extended “because work to repair damage to the ship that occurred during the drydocking process is going to take longer than was previously projected.”
The boat was initially supposed to return to service March 3, then that date was pushed back to March 25 and now the company is taking reservations only for travel after April 22.
As one reader noted, HSF is actually making money while its boat is drydocked, because it’s not having to pay hefty operating expenses that never hit the break even point due to low ridership.
The Advertiser reports: … by the time the interisland ferry returns to service, it will have been out of service for more days than it has been running since its Dec. 13 relaunch.
The article makes only one reference to the ferry’s work force: With the Alakai out of operation, many of the Superferry's part-time port employees have been out of work.
Hmmm. So where are the rallies to build public support for their jobs, like the ones staged when courts ruled the big boat couldn’t run without an EIS? Why isn’t the Honolulu media reporting sad tales of the workers’ plight now that it’s of the company’s making?
On the bright side, at least taxpayers are saving hundreds of thousands of dollars in tugboat fees needed to keep the loading barge in place at Kahului Harbor. Meanwhile, the state DOT and HSF are still wrangling over "who is responsible for problems with the Kahului barge's mooring system," according to the Advertiser.
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3 comments:
All good points, Joan.
One comment, HSF loses less money by not sailing if it's ridership does not even cover fuel expenses. Either way it is losing money, just less money lost for now. 'Course they probably think they will be able to get their ridership up to levels that cover their operating expenses if not their total expenses. We shall see on that. I kind of doubt it.
Aloha, Brad
remember how much they whined about loss of revenue and having to leave the hawaii market if Act 2 didn't pass and it got held up in court? its been held up in drydock longer than it was stalled out in court. on another note, why has it taken cardoza so long to file his report on his decision? is this hanging up the issac hall appeal?
Aloha,
Great article, Joan. You really nailed the facts. The Super Ferry is going broke standing still as well as running the open ocean.
Just as the mortgage company does not let you not pay if you are sick, Super Ferry, Geribaldi and Lehman are on the hook for two million a year to the bank and one million to the State of Hawaii.
That's $8,219.18 a day, about fifty seven five large a week.
They just don't give 350 ft long, 40,000 HP ships away, y'know!
Not to mention the word out about the Barf-o-meter Barge.
Hoist a black flag, it is a dead ship.
Bob Nichols
Writer
San Francisco
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