Two different takes on HSF's 'Koa' Hull A616

First, is the following video report yesterday from KHNL:

http://www.khnl.com/global/story.asp?s=8852252
New superferry has one main difference
By Duane Shimogawa
"MOBILE (KHNL) -- ...still months away, probably February next year. The new ferry incorporates some minor changes like friendlier serving areas, an upgraded sound system and a different color scheme. The biggest difference though is a foldable ramp..."

And the second are more thorough details on the plans for the ramp, desalination plant, and wastewater treatment plant on the 'Koa' version of HSF, found on the web at http://www.islandbreath.org/:

Click here to view the PDF 3meg detailed file on proposed changes to HSF 'Koa' Hull A616.

"Superferry Corporation seeks DOD contract"
by Juan Wilson on 4 August 2008 revision 1.1 080805

"I have received a PDF file from an obscured source that appears to be a proposal from the Hawaii Superferry Corporation (HSF) to the Department of Defense (DOD). Click here to download PDF 3meg file.

The proposal is for the outfitting of the second Superferry (Austal hull A616), now under construction at Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama, with what it calls "National Defense Features" (NDF) that would make the new Superferry more useful to the military.

Sorry, I had been knocked offline, but I'm baaaack:

Saturday, August 16, 2008
Comparing Marine diesel and Jet fuel prices‏

There are other things that could be blogged on, but this issue has come up over on the Los Angeles Times travel blog today. Marine diesel fuel (MDO) and jet fuel prices are comparable, esp. by the metric ton, but also even by the gallon at retail.

People have not been making the comparison, but HSF runs 4 Rolls Royce diesel waterjet engines. The largest interisland air carrier here Hawaiian Air runs Boeing 717's with 2 Rolls Royce jet engines, verified with one of Hawaiian's engineers today. The calculations have been done before on this blog, that Hawaiian Air is at least twice as fuel efficient as HSF moving the same number of people interisland on the same route, regardless of whether this is reflected yet in HSF's pricing.

Beyond this comparison, what has happened to jet fuel prices ultimately is going to have dramatic affect on tourism, the visitor industry, and eventually the whole economy here in Hawaii over the coming year/s, and HSF doesn't offer any respite to that at all. Setting that aside, I found the following interesting sources comparing marine diesel fuel to jet fuel today:

They are both about the same price. Click on and scroll down the chart links below for both. It is amazing, both have about quadrupled in price since 2000.

Marine Diesel (MDO) per metric ton spot: http://www.bunkerworld.com/markets/prices/

Marine Diesel per metric ton in North America spot: http://www.bunkerindex.com/prices/namerica.php

1st Annual Maui Island Sustainable Living Expo
August 16 and 17, 2008
UH-Maui Community College Campus
Open to the public; registration fee plus free events

The Sustainable Living Institute of Maui and Maui Community College will host the 1st annual Maui Island Sustainable Living Expo (ISLExpo). The event will be a unique opportunity for leading sustainability experts and the Maui community-at-large to come together to explore the pressing issues of Island Food Security, Island Energy Security, Island-based Local Economies and Sustainable Living Education. The Maui ISLExpo will feature two days of presentations and panel discussions from leaders in sustainability, an exposition of local non-profit organizations and businesses focused on sustainability, healthy delicious local foods and entertainment.

Register soon to attend the conference session. Go to: www.sustainablemaui.org.

FREE: You can view the outdoor sustainable living exhibits on the Maui Community College Great Lawn and listen to live music on Saturday evening

Volunteers are also needed - contact eventssustainablemaui.org">eventssustainablemaui.org or call (808) 984-3792.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

I have been getting reports from South and West Maui that the hotels there are running at only 60 to 70% occupancy this Summer at a time when they should be running at 80 to 90%, but they have not lowered their room rates. Here on Kauai, we seem to be having a decent Summer with many hotels running at 80 to 90% occupancy, but many here have lowered their room rates down to as much as half. So, I was surprised to see the following.

I was reading The Garden Island News today and came across the following title, "Kaua‘i visitor numbers, spending down" by Blake Jones. The first sentence has the following shocking data, "Total visitor arrivals to Kaua‘i were down 23.5 percent this June compared to last [June] for a total of 95,333, according to preliminary statistics released Tuesday by the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism." The article mentions some of the data being down 13.5 and 13.6 percent, so I thought this must have been a typo. Nobody seems to be talking about visitor arrivals here being down 23.5%.

Environmentalists Blame RIMPAC For Beached Whale
Navy Says Tying Whale's Demise To Sonar 'Speculative'

POSTED: 4:48 pm HST July 29, 2008
UPDATED: 5:11 pm HST July 29, 2008

HONOLULU -- Environmentalists are blaming the Navy's RIMPAC exercises for a whale beaching itself on Molokai.

The whale repeatedly "stranded itself" on Molokai Monday, and a veterinarian euthanized the whale in the afternoon, officials said.

The Navy said it would be "speculative" to connect the whale's death to its exercises in the Pacific Ocean this month, but environmental lawyers who have sued the Navy over sonar's effect on whales in the past said the Navy's response is a "disgrace."

The 2,500-pound whale went ashore at Kawela Beach, north of Kaunakakai on Molokai, and kept stranding himself even after volunteers pushed him back into the ocean several times.

Scientists said it is a Cuvier's beaked whale that lives in deep water. Now, they are trying to figure out why it beached himself.

"People should understand that whales strand for all sorts of reasons," said Chris Yates of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Division.

A veterinarian administered euthanasia by injection to the whale, and the Coast Guard transported it to Oahu. Scientists from Hawaii Pacific University performed a necropsy on the whale, but they said may never know what caused its death.

In case you're not aware, here's article from today's Maui News on the dead Cuvier's beaked whale on Molokai. What's most important for HONC at this point is to look to see if there are any others to report. Please take any opportunity to search where you can. In a perfect world, HONC would have a plane to cruise around searching, but best we can do is use many eyes. If you are flying between the island look, & ask others to do the same. If you're out on a boat, canoe, kayak, board, please keep a look out. You know the Navy is already trying to get by this, saying there's no proof that the use of active sonar in this RIPAC exercise had any effect, etc. If there's been more killing,or injuring, it helps to be aware.
We know this is tough, as so often, the devastated creatures sink to the bottom, unreported. But this is a chance to report injuries or erratic behavior. Dr. Marsha Green is making a personal appeal to all of us to look, and ask anyone you know to do the same.
In addition, did anyone hear the sonar at any time (on land or in water) recently. If you did, please send details, when , where, etc, so we can send this on for evaluation.
Mahalo,
Mike for Hawaiian Ocean Noise Coalition HONC

http://mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/506511.html?nav=10

Whale stranding provokes claims of a sonar injury
There has been no determination of the cause, says federal agency

The Maui News and The Associated Press

"Whale stranding provokes claims of a sonar injury"

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080730/NE...
Posted on: Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Hawaii visitor arrivals drop 14.2% in 'scary' situation for tourism
Arrivals fell 14.2% in June in biggest decline since months after 9/11

*

By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser Staff Writer

Nearly 100 Hawai'i tourism leaders met yesterday in an urgent search for a strategy to reverse the decline in visitor arrivals, which has reached levels not seen since the months after the 9/11 attacks.
Advertisement

Visitor arrivals fell 14.2 percent in June, according to state data released yesterday. The June decline in arrivals by air was the largest since January 2002, when air arrivals fell 16.2 percent.

"This is as scary as it's ever been, and and it's going to get scarier," said 38-year Hawai'i tourism veteran Mary Charles, founder of MC&A Inc., a destination management company.

Charles told the monthly meeting of the Hawai'i Tourism Authority that hotel bookings for the fall are coming in at 10 percent to 30 percent less than last fall. The decline, she added, affects the whole community. "Everybody is paying the price of what's happening," she said.

Spending by visitors arriving by air fell 13.5 percent to $982.4 million in June.

"June's visitor statistics reflect the loss of two Norwegian Cruise Line ships, increased fuel costs and a continued soft travel market, especially from the U.S. Mainland," said Marsha Wienert, the state's tourism liaison.

http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/506306.html

The Maui News
Thursday, July 24, 2008

Plan to pare plastic bags OK'd by panel

But some worry ban would choke already hurting businesses

By MELISSA TANJI, Staff Writer

WAILUKU - In three years, customers may no longer be given plastic bags when purchasing items at Maui County retail stores.

On Wednesday, the County Council's Public Works and Facilities Committee took an initial step and recommended the adoption of a bill to bar retail businesses from giving out plastic bags at the point of sale beginning Jan. 11, 2011. Plastic bags would be prohibited regardless of whether they are compostable.

The proposal would allow the distribution of paper bags and reusable cloth and other environmentally friendly, alternative bags currently available for purchase in stores.

However, the bill does not include plastic bags used in stores to hold goods such as meats, poultry and produce.

"This is just a good first step in cleaning up the environment," committee Co-Chairman Mike Victorino said after the meeting.

He stressed that the measure was a plastic bag reduction bill.

Council Member Mike Molina, who introduced the bill last year, said after the meeting that he was pleased the proposal was moved out of committee.

But the proposal still needs to pass two readings by the full council before it could become law. The bill is scheduled for first reading in August.

"I don't think we're out of the woods yet," said Molina, who is a nonvoting member of the committee.

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080725/NE...
Posted on: Friday, July 25, 2008
Maui Land & Pineapple laying off 274
Economic woes force struggling firm to lay off 26.2% of workforce

By Curtis Lum, Rick Daysog and Christie Wilson
Advertiser Staff Writers

Citing a weak economy and rising fuel costs, Maui Land & Pineapple Co. said it will lay off 274 workers, more than a quarter of its workforce, as part of a reorganization plan.
Advertisement

The Kahului-based company, one of Maui's largest private employers, said the layoffs are projected to save the company $11 million in annual expenses. The company is expected to notify the affected workers this morning.

Maui Pineapple Co. will bear the brunt of the layoffs with the elimination of 204 jobs, the company said. That unit has suffered more than $100 million in capital investments and operating losses over the past four years, the company said.

The staff at Maui Land & Pineapple's Kapalua Resort will be reduced by 46 positions and another 24 jobs will be cut from the corporate and community development units, the company said.

Friday, July 25, 2008
True Colors...

Well, they had to come up with something to deal with the seasonal, cyclical, and systematic downturn that will happen in the Fall. The slow seasonality that we always have in the Fall is visitor related. Military personnel on Oahu are not affected by that, and initially will be only slightly affected by the other two, so the following company preference is a logical one, assuming the PUC approves it:

"Superferry Discount to Military Personnel"
Written by KGMB9 News - newskgmb9.com">newskgmb9.com
July 24, 2008 05:48 PM

"Hawaii Superferry announces a $59 one-way passenger fare for travel beginning August 5 and through October 31, 2008. One-way vehicle fares during this travel period remain at $65. One-way fares for seniors (62+), children (2-12), and retired and active military personnel, and their dependents, are $49 during this period. These fares will be available for purchase on August 5. These new one-way fares do not include applicable taxes and fees, and are subject to approval by the Public Utilities Commission. A fuel surcharge is not applicable to these fares during this period. Peak pricing is applicable on certain days during this period. Rates are subject to change. The current summer promotional rate of $49 each way is available for bookings made before August 5 for travel through September 30, 2008..."

Aloha, Brad