Hawaii Superferry officials suspend service indefinitely after days of protests, setbacks

IHT ^ | 8-28-07 | AP

[tcrlaf]

The company that runs the first passenger-vehicle ferry service between the Hawaiian Islands suspended operations indefinitely Tuesday after two days of emotional protests and legal setbacks.

Hawaii Superferry Inc. halted service after the Coast Guard advised that it could not assure safe passage of the 350-foot (107-meter) ferry in and out of Nawiliwili Harbor on Kauai, where a flotilla of protesters blocked it from docking late Monday.

A court order sought by environmentalists had already halted service to Maui, with a hearing set for Wednesday.

Gov. Linda Lingle, a longtime ferry supporter, also requested Tuesday that the service be suspended because of public safety concerns.

Opponents say the ferry endangers whales, threatens to spread invasive species and will worsen traffic and pollution. But Superferry officials say the ship's water jet propulsion system means there are no exposed propellers to strike aquatic animals.

Lingle said she was concerned by protests Monday night on Kauai that led to 11 arrests after about 65 people on surfboards, canoes and kayaks formed a human blockade and forced the $95 million (€69.53 million) ferry to turn back to Honolulu.

The ferry, named Alakai, was stalled outside Nawiliwili Harbor late Monday for nearly three hours as Coast Guard vessels, including an 85-foot (26-meter) cutter, failed to clear the way for the ship.

[doorgunner69]

If the Superferry is upsetting them, then why aren't they protesting those pesky mega cruise ships????

That is the point no one on the uber-liberal local rags wants to bring up. And you would not want to know the thousands of gallons of raw sewage the cruise sh!ts dump around the islands.