June - July 2002

Welcome

Dockworkers, shippers face contract deadline

Killer Online Media Centers
“How to” tips to make the most of your company Web site.

New Containerships for Matson
Company spends $220 million on two new vessels.

Marimed: Changing Lives of Troubled Teens
At-risk youth take to the sea for onboard learning programs.

News Briefs

 

 

 

Aloha, and welcome to the
2002 Hawaii Port Directory.

For six years this annual issue of Hawaii Ocean Industry & Shipping News has served as a useful resource for the maritime community, providing information about Hawaii’s commercial harbors and the many businesses that serve our maritime industry. We congratulate the magazine for its focus on news and newsmakers around Hawaii’s waterfront.

The Harbors Division of the Hawaii State Department of Transportation is moving forward to address many important issues including formulating a plan to implement an intra-island and an inter-island ferry system, constructing a ferry terminal facility at Honolulu Harbor’s Pier 19, and revalidating and continuously optimizing our development plans for all of our passenger terminals. Since September 11, we have been working closely with the United States Coast Guard and the Office of Homeland Security to address port vulnerability assessments, the security grants program and other security and anti-terrorism initiatives.

We value the continued input and ideas we receive from the private sector, and we welcome your calls, whether they be for information and assistance or to let us know how the Harbors Division can better serve those who use Hawaii’s commercial harbors. An updated staff directory can be found on page __ of this directory.

We salute all of you who are helping to ensure that we meet the needs, present and future, of those who depend on our harbors.

Jadine Y. Urasaki, P.E.
Acting Administrator, Harbors Division
State Department of Transportation

 

 

 

 

Dockworkers, shippers face contract deadline

by Mele Pochereva

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA), which represents West Coast shipping and stevedoring companies, began negotiations on May 13 on the contract that governs longshore labor for all major U.S. Pacific Coast ports. The current three-year contract expires on July 1.

Hawaii dockworkers and shippers face a June 30 contract expiration, but negotiations had not yet begun as of press time.

The Hawaii Employers Council negotiates agreements for the local shipping and stevedoring companies. Negotiations with the ILWU Local 142 – which represents several hundred Hawaii dockworkers – historically have followed those of their West Coast counterparts.

The implementation of new technology to improve productivity is a major discussion point in the West Coast negotiations, and many fear the negotiations will be contentious.

“Technology is perhaps the most important subject which we did not resolve satisfactorily in the last contract,” stated PMA President and CEO Joe Miniace in remarks at the opening of negotiations. “We cannot avoid the issue of new technology. The shippers we serve and the market we occupy requires that the technology employed on the West Coast waterfront be at least equal to the technological standards set by the shipping public and by the other ports of call throughout the world. Currently, the West Coast is behind,” he said.

“It is our intent to reform and revitalize the West Coast ports with the ILWU as a partner,” Miniace said.

Despite assurances from the PMA that new technologies can be implemented without major disruptions or job losses, the ILWU believes such improvements will cost jobs.

According to a briefing memo posted by the West Coast Waterfront Coalition, a group of shippers, transportation providers and others in the transportation supply chain (www.portmod.org), “a contentious shutdown of West Coast docks could trigger a crisis in international financial markets that could be severe and could stop any economic recovery that is now underway. A five-day shutdown of West Coast docks could cost the national economy $4.7 billion.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Building a killer online press center

by Joe Dysart

One of the most potent — and often overlooked — opportunities in Web site promotion is the online press center. Designed insightfully with a foreknowledge of the tools and information journalists crave when they visit a company Web site, an online press center can easily pay for itself many times over in terms of the valuable ñ and free ñ coverage it can generate for a firm.

"Media coverage, or publicity, has a major advantage over paid advertisements," says Susan Sweeney, author of "101 Ways To Promote Your Web Site," published by Maximum Press (www.maxpress.com). "Articles written by a reporter carry more weight with the public than ads do, because the media and reporters are seen as unbiased third parties."

Thomas Wong, author of "101 Ways To Boost Your Web Traffic," published by Intesync (http://www.intesync.com), agrees: "News publicity costs you nothing. It often produces better results than advertising, because people trust news articles more than sales ads. Press releases often lead to personal interviews on the phone or TV or radio appearances, which can make you and your Web site very popular."

Of course, given the keen competition for news media attention, corporations that are old hands at garnering regular news coverage have designed extremely reporter-friendly press centers on their Web sites. Here are the key elements of those first-tier online press centers, which are recommended by Sweeney, Wong and other Internet media analysts:

START WITH KILLER PRESS RELEASES

The everyday press release — which simply states company news and usually includes a few quotes from key company executives — is the staff of daily coverage for all reporters. Many companies post scores of press releases in their press centers in any given month, and also offer search engines to help reporters find the specific info they need. The most accomplished media friendly companies offer press releases written in an engaging style a practice that can generate even more news for a company.

At minimum, it's a good idea to post press releases in easy-to-manipulate, standard Web page (HTML) format. In addition, it's also helpful to offer Adobe Acrobat format versions of the same documents. Adobe is sometimes tough to work with on the Web, but it does print out wonderfully in hard copy on a printer.

Matson Navigation Company (www.matson.com) regularly posts email press releases online, as does Brewer Environmental Industries (www.beiweb.com). And the Clean Islands Council (www.cleanislands.com) offers a number of press releases in Adobe format.

POST GALLEY-READY DIGITAL IMAGES

Offering supporting digital images for download automatically doubles your company's chances of placing an article in the media. The reason: virtually every major story in every form of media (save audio-based media) demands art before it can be approved. So offering readily available digital images at 300 dpi or higher resolution enables your company's story to stand out from competitors that simply post text press releases. Downloadable digital images of key company executives are a start; candids of the executives, staff and/or your products and services in action are a good additional offering.

The Hawaii Department of Transportation (www.hawaii.gov/dot) has a digital photo archive in development in the Harbors Division of its Web site. And U.S. Customs (www.customs.ustreas.gov) offers digital pix for download at its Web site.

OFFER PRE-RECORDED AUDIO/VIDEO NEWS

For a few hundred dollars, even the smallest firms can offer canned audio/video news events for reporters to view and use in print, radio, TV and Web media. So far, most the world's largest corporations are primarily using this technology to offer online records of quarterly financial meetings with analysts. But the plain fact is the creative promotional and news potential of Web audio/video is unlimited. Tools to check out in this space include RealNetworks (www.realnetworks.com), Apple Quicktime (www.apple.com/quicktime) and Windows Media Technologies (www.microsoft.com/windowsmedia).

The Hawaii Ocean Industry directory (http://hawaiiocean.com) spices up its site with a live Web cam of Honolulu Harbor.

REALLY WOW THEM WITH VIRTUAL REALITY

While talk of "3D walk-throughs and fly-throughs" touting company products and services may sound esoteric, the reality is Web virtual reality can now be easily produced for a few hundred dollars. The bonus with Web VR is that the productions can be easily compressed into small files that can be easily attached and mailed with an email press release. Toolmakers offering Web VR solutions include IPIX (www.ipix.com), MGI Software (www.mgisoft.com) and Apple (www.apple.com/quicktimevr).

OFFER "QUOTABLE TEXT"

Many of the world's top corporations go out of their way to offer in-depth, text-based corporate backgrounders to reporters in the form of white papers, position statements, executive speeches and the like. Problem is, many of these extremely helpful documents are presented without a company source who a reporter can quote as the origin of the info.

Best bet

Be sure to provide reporters with at least one company source (including name, title and city/state location) with every document released online, if possible. Even better: include the sourceís email address and voice number, if possible. This small consideration can literally make the difference between coverage of your business in a reporter's story ñ or coverage of another business. U.S. Customs offers quotable text at its Web site, including the text of the commissioner's messages, along with U.S. Customs speeches and position statements.

POST COMPANY VIEWS ON INDUSTRY TRENDS, LEGISLATION

Often faced with impossible deadlines, editors and reporters are always hungry for company executives they can quickly quote in industry trend pieces, and stories about proposed industry legislation. Post two or three executive quotes on all the industry's major trends and proposed legislation, and you'll make the media's coverage of your firm's view of these issues that much easier.

Kerr Norton Marine (www.kerrnortonmarine.com) tracks government regulations that impact the Hawaiian ocean shipping industry.

HOST AND PROMOTE LIVE NEWS EVENTS AT YOUR SITE

The Web audio/video production and broadcasting tools offered above by RealNetworks, Apple and Microsoft can also be used to stage live media events at your Web site. Replacing the standard conference call or email burst, such events can feature live footage of a company executive detailing for reporters the significance of a new company product, service or announcement.

As an added bonus, you can also offer a supplemental text chatroom that reporters can use to type questions to the company executive in real time, and receive answers via text typed by a company stenographer. The advantage of typed text interviews is that every reporter can view and study the questions and answers in black and white. Plus, text-based interviews can be easily archived in your press center —along with the audio/video presentation by your executive ñ for convenient viewing by other reporters after the event.

Tools often recommended by the PC press in this space include Paltalk (www.paltalk.com), ConferenceRoom, by Webmaster (www.conferenceroom.com), Chatspace by Akiva Idea Technologies (www.chatspace.com) and iChat Rooms by iChat (www.ichat.com).

INCLUDE A LINK TO YOUR INVESTORS' DOMAIN

If your company has taken the time to create an investors domain, chances are that sector of the site is rich with information about your company's financials, prospects and forecasts. Including a link directly from your press center to your investors domain ensures editors and reporters can get a quick read on your company's financial state.

OFFER FREE NEWS-FEEDS

A number of Web content providers are now offering free Web site news-feeds to any and all takers. With many, subscribers can focus the news-feeds to their particular industry, or industry niche. Given that every editor and reporters is by definition a news junkie, adding industry specific news feeds to yours site can only help further delight the media at your press center's thoroughness. Plus, it will also help to stimulate editors and reporters with ideas for spin-off articles ñ while they're visiting a company that is most likely a perfect source for those spin-offs.

For starters, you can check out Kresch.com (http://dresch.com/resources/articles) to get an idea of the free news-feeds that are available for Web sites. For a full view, type "free news feeds" into any major search engine, and you'll be presented with a plethora of options.

OFFER A SIGN-UP FOR EMAIL ALERTS

Chances are, even the most diligent reporter does not check every one of his or her favorite corporate Web sites for new developments every day. But any reporter serious about his or her profession checks email many times during the day. Offer a sign-up for email alerts, you'll be able to stay in touch with reporters on a continuing basis ñ and quickly generate interest in new service and product announcements, as well as Web site news events.

Indeed, some of the largest corporations offer a smorgasbord of email alerts that reporters can subscribe to — separate alert sign-ups for quarterly reports, executive speeches, general press releases, notice of Web news conferences and the like.

POST FULL CONTACT INFO FOR PR PERSONNEL

Given the rampant problem with spam mail and junk calls, it's understandable that many PR personnel are reticent to publish their voice numbers or email addresses on the company Web site. Unfortunately, a press center devoid of such contact info sends an unmistakably discouraging message to reporters: namely, this company is going to be tough to work with.

One alternative is to post a general delivery PR email address, such as "pr@yourcompany.com," and a pledge to respond to all editors and reporters inquiries within 24 hours. If the company PR department makes good on this promise, and delivers on the information requested on time, your firm will be instantly catapulted to the forefront of the journalist's "favorite sources" list.

Joe Dysart is an Internet speaker and consultant based in Thousand Oaks, CA.
Voice: (805) 379-3673.
Email: joe@digitalubiquity.com.
Web: www.digitalubiquity.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WEB FAVORITES
Readers share their top picks

Earlier this year, Hawaii Ocean Industry sent out an inquiry to subscribers, asking them to send us their favorite Web sites so we could share them with other readers. Here’s a selection of “top picks,” ranging from maritime-related sites and catalogues to useful government sites to general information.

Industry-related sites

www.ipdparts.com
“Excellent aftermarket parts for Cat, Detroit Cummins, Navstar engine components and ground engaging parts.” Al Park, purchasing agent, Industrial Parts Hawaii

www.charternet.com
“A lot of info for boaters,” from boating gear to weather links. Randie Farish, president, Sea Quest Rafting Adventures (www.seaquesthawaii.com)

www.insurance-marine.com
Marine insurance megasite. “Lots of useful links/information regarding maritime issues/law.” Evie Black, director of marine claims, John Mullen & Co. (www.johnmullen.com)

www.kobelt.com
Supplier of brakes, electronics, pneumatic controls, etc. “Simply the best.” Ron Mitsuyoshi, owner, Marine Specialties (www.marinespecialties.biz)

www.usmsa.org
U.S. Marine Safety Assn. Site. “Lots of good links to UACG and safety equipment manufacturers/service companies.” Ed McCauley, president, Liferaft & Marine Safety Equipment, Inc. (www.liferaftmarinesafety.com)

Government sites

www.capitol.hawaii.gov/
Hawaii State Legislature Web site. “Keeping on top of bills in the Legislature would be impossible without it.” William Mossman, director, Hawaii Boaters Political Action Assn.

www.hawaii.gov/dbedt
Hawaii Dept. of Business, Economic Development and Tourism site; includes 2000 State of Hawaii Data Book, Hawaii Census 2000 results, economic data and forecasts and other useful reference information. Michele Azuma Lee, director, operations systems & processes, Young Brothers, Limited (www.youngbrothers.biz)

http://thomas.loc.gov//
Congressional legislative information, including status of bills, directory and email links for Congressional members, etc. A service of the Library of Congress.

Etc.

www.spaceflight.NASA.gov/realdata/tracking
“I use this info to follow the (space) station.” Bob Hampton, president, Rainbow Management Group

www.msn.com
“Good place to start a trip through the Internet.” Bob Moore, general manager, Hawaii Maritime Center (www.bishopmuseum.org)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

News Briefs

Hawaii-built tug serving Pearl Harbor

She goes by the call name “Tiger 1,” is 94 feet long with a 32 foot beam and 50-plus tons of pulling power. “She” is the first Hawaii-designed and built tug and was put into service at Pearl Harbor on May 21.

Officially christened the ASD Neil Abercrombie, the tug was designed and built by owner P&R Water Taxi, with assistance from naval architect Don Stoddard of Hilo. Argonaut Marine (Seattle, Wash.) computerized the drawings, which were sent to a steel yard where the parts were cut and shipped back to Honolulu as a “kit.” P&R started construction on January 6 of this year and the vessel was christened on April 29 – a “record time” job, according to a company spokesperson.

The tug is powered by two 2,200hp 3516 Caterpillar electronic engines that drive two HRP Azimuth stern drives. It has a cruising speed of 13 knots. The Abercrombie is under contract to the Navy to provide harbor-assist services at Pearl Harbor.

HOST posts Web site

The Hawaii Ocean Safety Team (HOST) recently went online with its new Web site, www.HOSTHawaii.org

The site includes HOST meeting information, maps and information about port facilities and maritime-related links.

This non-profit organization is aimed at promoting and enhancing the safe and pollution free use of Hawaii's waters through pro-active prevention. Membership and participation with HOST is open to the public.

Kaneohe Bay hosts Olympic yachting trials

Some 70 sailors from 18-plus countries will be plying the waters of Kaneohe Bay during the month of June, hoping to earn berths for their countries in the 49er classboat races at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.

Kaneohe Yacht Club was selected as the venue for this 2002 49er World Championship because of the excellent sailing conditions in Kaneohe Bay. Sailing takes place June 16-22. Many of the sailors are crew members on boats participating in the Volvo Around the World Races and the Americas Cup campaigns. Others have come up through junior sailing programs at the local yacht clubs and then gone on to participate in high school and collegiate competitions.

The Australian-designed 49er (4.99 meters long) was selected in 1996 as the new one-design, double-handed skiff for the Olympics. It made its Olympic debut in Sydney in 2000 and was selected again for the 2004 Olympics.

For further information, call Kaneohe Yacht Club at 247-4121. Log on to http://49erfleet.com/ for information about the U.S. fleet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matson invests in two new ships

Matson Navigation Company will spend $220 million for two new diesel-powered containerships to replace two of its 30-year-old steam-powered vessels.

The company signed a contract on May 29 with Kvaerner Philadelphia Shipyard to purchase two U.S. built Jones Act vessels the company started building in 1999. Matson is Kvaerner’s first customer since the company took over the former Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in 1997.

“These are high-quality vessels that are also high-value – we were able to secure a very good price for the ships, which ultimately benefits Hawaii’s consumers,” said Allen Doane, president and CEO of Alexander & Baldwin, Inc., Matson’s parent company.

The two 2,600 TEU containerships will be deployed in Matson’s Hawaii service when construction is completed in late 2003 and 2004. The ships are similar in size and speed to Matson’s MV R.J. Pfeiffer, the fastest and biggest containership currently operating in the U.S. domestic offshore trades. “They will be equipped with a number of features specifically designed to meet Hawaii’s current and projected market requirements,” says C. Brad Mulholland, Matson president and CEO, “particularly bigger container sizes for both refrigerated and dry containers. This will allow us to efficiently accommodate the diversified mix of cargo needed to support the state’s island economy.”

Kvaerner Philadelphia Shipyard is part of an international oil services, engineering and construction and shipbuilding group that operates 12 shipyards in Europe, one in the United States and one in Brazil.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marimed Foundation Offers Hawaii’s Youth Experiential Sail Training Programs

by Connie Sizemore

A new majestic three-masted schooner has made Kaneohe Bay its permanent home. No, it is not the return of Tole Mour, Marimed Foundation’s tall ship that served Hawaii’s “at risk” youth all through the ‘90s. This ship, named Makani Olu (gracious wind), is Marimed’s new sail training ship and is ready to serve Hawaii’s youth like its predecessor.

The ship arrived in Honolulu in early January and underwent extensive renovations and Coast Guard certification and licensing. Then, on April 4, Marimed staff and program youth escorted their new sailing ship into Kanoehe Bay, where she is now permanently moored by Marimed’s main campus. Makani Olu is a 96-ft., three masted tall sailing ship that will make regular trips to the neighbor islands with Marimed youth and local youth and community groups.

For the past nine years, Marimed Foundation has been changing the lives of Hawaii’s troubled teens through a unique ocean-based treatment and education program that has successfully helped local youth and their families. Marimed Foundation’s Kailana Program serves special-needs males, ages 14-18, by using activities on and around the ocean to help them make the often-stormy passage through adolescence. The Kailana (Hawaiian for “calm seas”) Program offers moderately and severely challenged adolescents residential treatment options that utilize a combination of disciplines, including sail training, canoe paddling and ocean voyaging to promote positive change. The program combines ocean voyaging, special needs and regular education with individual and family therapy.

The program currently serves Felix Class males who face difficult emotional challenges requiring a more structure than a school setting, but who do not need to be hospitalized or incarcerated. Most cadets (program youth) enrolled in the program are indirectly referred by the Department of Health’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division. Over 50 percent of the youth and families served are Pacific Islanders and/or part Hawaiian and reside in low income and “high risk” neighborhoods around the Hawaiian Islands.

Marimed’s vision for the future includes sharing the ocean experiences with other community groups and youth organizations. The Foundation’s new president,
Matt Claybaugh, has many new ideas for enhancing and expanding programs to continue the Foundation’s mission of promoting the health and well-being of Hawaii's youth.

“Our culture and heritage embrace the ocean and our linkage to traditional maritime skills is very valuable to our youth and the community,” claims Claybaugh. “What we are trying to do is create opportunities for youth and families to experience the magic that happens when you immerse yourself in the ocean experience,” adds Claybaugh, who has witnessed the personal transformation that can happen through ocean voyaging.

A vital component of Marimed’s program is providing vocational “ship skills” training, such as marine, mechanical, wood working and culinary skills, to assist youth with successful reintegration in the community.

“Marimed is looking for community business partners and vocational training opportunities for our boys to better prepare them for work in the maritime and related industries,” Claybaugh explains. “We are looking for support from the maritime industry to help us help Hawaii’s youth explore the great career opportunities in this dynamic industry.”

Marimed also is seeking community support to fund a new launch for the Makani Olu, to provide safe transport for youth to and from the vessel in all ports and ensure easy access for special needs youth. A specially designed launch/tender is being built for Marimed, outfitted with six rowing stations and sailing capability and augmented by a single cylinder diesel engine.

The launch/tender will allow youth to make landfall in various locales throughout the islands – common and remote – so that they might carry out community improvement projects on each island visited. The foundation is also raising funds to replace Makani Olu’s badly worn sails with durable sails, more appropriate for sail training use.

For more information on Marimed Foundation’s programs or to find out how to help Hawaii’s “at risk” youth, please call Connie Sizemore at (808) 236-2288 ext. 275.

Connie Sizemore is Marimed Foundation’s director of development and public relations.