December 1999 - January 2000

 

News Briefs

Hazmat Regs Updated

Ko Olina plans Feb. 2000 opening

American Classic unveils new United States Lines

Hawaiian Maritime Industry Day 2000

Soundings, Kikiaola Harbor improvement funds threatened


 

 

 

 

 

 

News Briefs

Reef cleanup partnership nets record haul

More than 25 tons of marine debris was removed from the northwest Hawaiian Archipelago between October 6 and November 4 through the cooperative efforts of government agencies, academia and conservation organizations.
   
As part of the Marine Reef Debris Cleanup Partnership, the NOAA vessel Townsend Cromwell and the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Walnut conducted coral reef restoration research and cleanup operations at Lisianki Island, Pearl and Hermes Reef, and Midway Island. The two vessels offloaded the debris at the Sand Island Coast Guard Integrated Support Command base where it was hauled away by the City and County of Honolulu in 18 containers provided by Browning-Ferris Industries of Hawaii.
   
This is the second year that the partnership has conducted the massive cleanup effort. In November, 1998, the first cleanup netted six tons of debris including whole and partial fish nets, marine lines, ropes, plastics, batteries and assorted other material. This year’s effort brought in four times as much debris.
   
“Last year’s marine reef cleanup effort, although very successful as a pioneering project, was dwarfed by this year’s exceptional cooperative teamwork resulting in literally tons of debris and other discarded material being recovered, said Dr. George Antonelis, chief of the protected species investigation for the National Marine Fisheries Service Honolulu Laboratory. Underscoring the debris problem is the record number of endangered Hawaiian monk seals found entangled over the past year.”
   
“It was really an eye-opener to see the volume of reef debris accumulated,” noted Dr. Mary Donohue, chief scientist on the research cleanup cruise. “I think this year’s haul should be considered a ‘wake-up’ call, not only to the international fishing community, but to all of us who depend on the marine environment and use it as well.”
   
Large masses of nets weighing over 500 pounds have destroyed coral by washing over shallow reefs. In 1997, for example, nearly 20 percent of the mass of marine debris removed in one case at the Pearl and Hermes Reef consisted of dead coral.

Other partners in this year’s cleanup included the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, University of Hawaii, Sea Grant Hawaii, Hawaii Wildlife Fund, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, and the Center for Marine Conservation.

Isle longshore contract settled

International Longshore & Warehouse Union dockworkers statewide ratified a three-year labor contract in November that will incrementally increase their base wage from $25.12 an hour to $27.12 an hour by mid-2001.
   
Ratification ended the threat of a strike that had Hawaii consumers stockpiling household necessities in October.
   
Along with the pay increases, the new contract raises pension benefits, retroactive to the contract’s July 1, 1999 start date. Workers retiring after July 1 will receive $80 a month for each year they have worked, up to 35 years. Previously they received $57 a month per year of work. By July 1, 2001, the pension will increase to $95 a month per year of work.
   
The pay and pension increases and other benefits bring Hawaii workers parity with their West Coast counterparts, which was one of the union’s primary objectives in its contract negotiations.

Working conditions and jurisdiction on the docks were other key issues.
The contract covers approximately 500 dockworkers employed by Matson Terminals, Inc., Hawaii Stevedores, McCabe Hamilton & Renny Co., Ltd. and HT&T Co.

Y2K Port Safety Plan Available

The Coast Guard Marine Safety Office has published its Port Safety Plan for Y2K.  Copies of this plan have been sent through the regular mail to various agencies and is also available on the MSO Honolulu website:

www.aloha.net/~msohono.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hazmat Regs Updated, Again   

by Capt. Randall F. Lund

Companies that routinely deal in the movement of hazardous materials understand the importance of updating the federal regulations governing the transportation of hazardous materials. Once again, the rules have been updated.
   
On March 5, 1999, the final rule, docket HM-215C, was published in the Federal Register. The purpose of this docket is to harmonize U.S. and international standards. Harmonization of regulatory regimes in the United States and foreign countries is obviously very helpful in a global marketplace.
   
On August 16, 1999, the Federal Register (Vol. 64, No. 157) revised final rule docket HM-215C. While this latest revision deals mainly with typographical errors and omissions found in the final rule, it should once again remind those involved with the transportation of hazardous materials of some of the more important changes that went into effect on October 1, 1999.
   
Several of the most important and noticeable changes found in the final rule include the following:

• Amendments (entry additions, revisions or deletions) to the Hazardous Material Table, including four new shipping descriptions to clarify entries for vehicles with engines of internal combustion (gas or liquid powered), a very common shipment to and from Hawaii.

• The addition of a new symbol “G” to column 1 of the HMT for those entries that require the use of a technical name in the shipping description.
  Amendments (entry additions, revisions or deletions) to the List of Marine Pollutants.
  Amendments to certain special provisions, including one to deregulate cotton under specific conditions.

• Elimination of the “Keep Away From Food” label and placard, utilizing instead the “Poison” or “Toxic” placard and, optionally, allowing the use of “PG III” as text on the label and placard below the mid line of each, for Division 6.1, PG III material.
  Authorization of the reconditioning of packagings other than metal drums.
  Obviously these are only a few of the many changes found in the 40-plus-page final rule document commonly called HM-215C or officially recorded as Docket No. RSPA-98-4185. This docket is available through the Department of Transportation, Research and Special Project Administration’s (RSPA) web page, http://hazmat.dot.gov. It is also provided to any person who attends National Cargo Bureau’s hazardous materials training course, available nationwide and given monthly on Oahu.

While the requirements to be trained have been in the hazardous materials regulations since 1993, it is apparent by some of the fines levied by the RSPA on local businesses earlier this year that not all hazardous materials employers may be cognizant of the requirements for training. This is one of the many areas that the RSPA will continue to monitor.
   
For additional information, or for upcoming hazardous materials training dates offered by the National Cargo Bureau, call the Honolulu office at 836-7799 or visit the USCG Marine Safety Office homepage at www.aloha.net/~msohono and click on “Upcoming Events.” 

Capt. Randall F. Lund is a senior surveyor with the National Cargo Bureau’s Honolulu office.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ko Olina Marina plans Feb. 2000 opening

by Mele Pochereva

When the Ko Olina Marina opens in early 2000, 266 new boat slips will help ease Oahu’s shortage of marina facilities. A “soft opening” is planned for early February, when most of the docks, including a fuel dock will be operational.
   
The marina will accommodate yachts up to 150 feet and will include slips for several commercial boat operators. The developer, Ko Olina Ocean Marina, LLC hopes to attract current boat owners who would like to move their vessels to the leeward coast area. Also targeted are residents who would like to own a boat, but haven’t been able to because of the lack of marina facilities.
   
In addition to the 266 slips and fuel dock, facilities will include a boat launch ramp, 33 trailer parking stalls, dry storage, a marina store, restrooms, laundry facility, and barbecue and picnic area. Electric, water, telephone and cable TV service will be available at each dock.
   
Slip rental rates and applications should be available in early December by calling Ko Olina Resort & Marina at (808)673-7678.

Pacific Atelier International, Inc., is the architect for the dockmaster building and comfort station. Contractors for the inwater boat slips and dredging are Bellingham Marine Industries, design/supplier construction management; North Pacific Construction, general contractor; and Wilson Okamoto & Associates, inspecting engineers.
   
The 43-acre Ko Olina Marina is part of a master-planned resort development on Oahu’s western shore, which includes the Ihilani Resort & Spa, a golf course, and the Fairways residential community.



 

 

 

 

 

 

American Classic unveils ‘new’ United States Lines

American Classic Voyages Co., parent company of American Hawaii Cruises, has acquired one of the most storied names in the history of ocean-going passenger transportation, United States Lines®, to be used for its fleet of cruise ships now being developed under the company’s Project America initiative.
   
The first ship to sail under the new United States Lines banner will be the 1,214-passenger Nieuw Amsterdam, which American Classic is acquiring from Holland America Line next year. The ship will be re-named MS Patriot and will offer 7-night cruises among the Hawaiian Islands, sailing every Saturday from Honolulu, beginning December 9, 2000. It will serve as an interim vessel while two 1,900-passenger ships are being built for Hawaii service.
   
The two new ships will be built by Ingalls Shipbuilding of Pascagoula, Miss., and will be the first major ocean-going passenger vessels to be built in the United States in more than 40 years. They also will be part of the United States Lines fleet and are scheduled to begin service in Hawaii starting in 2003 and 2004.
   
In conjunction with the arrival of the MS Patriot next year, American Hawaii Cruises, a subsidiary of American Classic Voyages, will relocate its 1,021-passenger SS Independence from Honolulu to a new home port in Kahului, Maui, where it will begin 7-night inter-island cruises on November 11, 2000.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hawaiian Maritime Industry Day 2000

The 9th Annual Hawaiian Maritime Industry Day is set for Wednesday, March 15, 2000, at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Once again, the event is co-sponsored by the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office in Honolulu and Hawaii Ocean Industry and Shipping News.
   
The day-long “convention style” presentation schedule will include dozens of breakout sessions focusing on specific maritime industry issues as well as an exhibitor’s hall with vendors and organizations presenting their services, products and information.
   
Admission will include a continental breakfast, breakout sessions, the vendor’s hall, lunch, and the closing reception.
   
Those interested in making a presentation or registration information may call Lt. Dan Norton at the Marine Safety Office, (808) 522-8256.
   
Vendors and organizations interested in exhibit space should call Terry White at Hawaii Ocean Industry & Shipping News, (808) 599-3788.



 

 

 

 

 

Soundings:
Kikiaola Harbor improvement funds threatened

As we all know, the state administration is struggling to make ends meet.  In the Department of Land and Natural Resources arena, these deliberations have included a close examination of their CIP (capital improvement project) assets, especially those not yet released by Governor Cayetano.  In this quest to prioritize projects and match funds to these projects, we have learned that the administration is taking a close look at withholding  $2.7 million of the $4.4 million CIP funds appropriated by the Legislature for Kauai’s Kikiaola Harbor.
   
One of the ideas tossed around was to use this money for the repair of the Kailua-Kona Pier. However, subsequent information from DLNR officials indicates that such a trade-off is not on the table. This is welcome news, but it does not change the basic threat  to the Kikiaola Harbor CIP funds.
   
One of the prime benefits that influenced the Legislature’s appropriation was that it included the development necessary to allow cruise line tendering operations at Kikiaola, just like the operations at Kailua-Kona and Lahaina, Maui. Removing $2.7 million from this appropriation effectively eliminates the construction of the planned multiple-use Kikiaola Harbor and thus eliminates the cruise line tendering possibility.  Kauai will lose the one chance it had for a good cruise line tendering port-of-call as well as improved recreational and tour boat capabilities. In addition, the considerable economic benefits ($40+ million) to Kauai, featured in the Kikiaola Harbor Master Plan, would be lost.
   
Right now, Kauai does not have a cruise line tendering port, while Hawaii County has Kailua-Kona, as well as the commercial ports of Hilo and Kawaihae. Maui has Lahaina Harbor for tendering and its main harbor at Kahului.  Kauai has only Nawiliwili Harbor. Port Allen, although used occasionally, is not favored by the cruise ships, according to a Statewide Cruise Facilities Study released in early 1999.
    
In the same study, various economic factors pertaining to projected numbers of jobs created and the amount of passenger, crew and operational spending by the cruise line industry through the year 2020 are presented in charts, several of which are categorized by island. Kauai County is dead last in every category by as much as two to one. The reason is obvious: Kauai has only one cruise ship port and it can really handle only one modern cruise ship. This often results in Kauai being skipped entirely by the large foreign cruise liners.
   
Removing $2.7 million from the approved Kikiaola CIP funds would only accentuate the already wide disparity between the cruise line economic factors of the four counties.  Shouldn’t we be striving for parity?
   
The $4.4 million appropriation was based largely on the attributes of the community-inspired Kikiaola Harbor Master Plan. The amount is not sufficient to fund the entire master plan, but with strategic modifications of the interior harbor design, the basic multiple-user concept could still be preserved.  This is the most essential feature of the master plan.  Recreational boaters, fishermen, commercial tour boat operators as well as the cruise line tenders would have a decent harbor in which to conduct their different activities with the least possible interference with each other. Kikiaola will be the first harbor to be designed and built to accommodate these multiple uses.
   
Phase I ($1.7 million) by itself is not sufficient. All it will accomplish is the dredging of the entrance and access channels, renovation of the breakwaters and the addition of a floating pier with a few boat slips.  The harbor footprint will not be increased and the infrastructure will remain at: 1 loading dock, 1 launching ramp, 1 small restroom, limited parking, limited water and electric service and no covered staging area. All of these limitations are identified for improvement in Phase II of the master plan, but cannot be accomplished if the $2.7 million is withdrawn.  An equally important and disturbing factor is that the chances of recouping these funds later to complete the master plan would be nil. 
   
This is a bread and butter investment that will help sustain Kauai for a long time to come. It will also add one more port-of-call to the Hawaii statewide cruise itinerary and thereby serve to increase Hawaii’s share of the North American cruise line market, which is now only 1.7 percent.
   
We encourage the Kauai boating public and others who recognize the economic and other values of the Kikiaola Harbor project, to contact the governor and/or his administration to urge the release of the entire $4.4 million for use as intended at Kikiaola Harbor. 

Bill Mossman is a representative of the Hawaii Boaters Political Action Association.

Hawaii Ocean Industry provides this space as a forum to express viewpoints on Hawaii’s ocean industry.