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Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 9

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  • Re: Hawaii Superferry -New York Times 3/22/09

    Originally posted by Palolo lolo View Post
    Read this article for today's New York Times about the Superferry. It ties together many of the military connections.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/22/us...=Hawaii&st=cse
    Mahalo for that, Palolo lolo. I’m glad one of our nation’s more prominent newspapers has helped to shed light on the agenda of Lehman and Co. Some of the more telling passages from the NYT story:

    In its 19 months of sporadic operations, the Alakai — an $85 million, 350-foot aluminum catamaran that sliced through some of the world’s roughest seas at 40 miles per hour — is widely thought to have lost money for Hawai‘i Superferry. The passenger-vehicle ferry usually operated well below the 50 percent capacity that the company had designated as its break-even point. For much of the winter, it operated at about 25 percent capacity, according to figures released by the company.

    [...]

    Why the company chose to risk operating without an environmental review, which would have taken the better part of a year, has been the matter of debate across the state, with Mr. Lehman’s background leading to speculation that Hawai‘i Superferry was primarily hoping to prove itself to the United States military.

    Nearly two years ago, a former chief executive officer of Austal USA, an Alabama shipyard that built the Alakai, was quoted in a local weekly, Pacific Business News, as saying the ship was too big for its market of 1.3 million people.

    “I just worry about getting enough business to cover costs because of the sheer size of it,” said the executive, Alan Lerchbacker.

    Mr. Lerchbacker said that he had suggested Hawai‘i Superferry order a 230-foot vessel but that the company instead ordered two 350-foot models. The Alakai traveled between O‘ahu and Maui; the second ferry, the Huakai, was completed last week and had been scheduled to link Oahu and the Big Island.

    State Representative Hermina M. Morita, a Democrat and chairwoman of the Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection, said she never thought either ferry would be profitable.

    “You look at the players involved,” Ms. Morita said. “You have to question their motives.”

    In November, Austal USA was awarded a contract to build up to 10 military versions of the ferry.

    [...]

    Austal USA, with a shipyard in Mobile, Ala., was created in 2001. “They have managed to become a major player in a very short time,” said Robert Button, a naval analyst with the RAND Corporation.

    [...]

    The contract calls for one ship for the Army, with an option for four more for the Army and five for the Navy, for a total of $1.6 billion.

    We can’t be so fixated on our desire to preserve the rights of ordinary Americans.

    — U.S. President Bill Clinton
    USA TODAY, page 2A
    11 March 1993

    Comment


    • Re: The latest lame justification

      Originally posted by Jewlipino View Post
      The issue is more one of public vs. private money. You're right in that Superferry didn't make dock modifications. The State did, and by doing so the whole project became subject to EIS. Just in case the argument is floated that, "only the State should have to do an EIS if that's the case", HEPA prohibits compartmentalizing projects in order to avoid EIS's. So by convincing the Gov and DOT to make the dock modifications with State money, HSF dug its own grave. Read the Hawaii Supreme Court cases, it's all there, so how am I distorting facts? And what's with the implication that I am anti-ferry? I've stated several times, and will again, I support inter-island ferry service in Hawaii! Good enough? Or do I have to say it again?
      Noted on your position in regards to having an inter-island ferry service. And I apologize for implicating you're anti-ferry, I was actually transitioning to another topic that I felt related to being rubbed in the wrong way.

      Back to dock modifications, you lost me on the private vs public money issue. Are you suggesting if HSF paid for its own barges, then an EIS is not an issue? Was an EIS done for the ferry terminal at Pier 19? If not, where does that one fall under as Pier 19 was built years before the HSF showed up?

      You may consider it as a rub but it's double standards to have other operators such as Matson or YB not conduct an EIS. I know your position is pro-EIS for everyone but the argument of double standards has merit. If there is no single standard, what's the point of this witch hunt with the ferry?

      Now I am transitioning to another topic that's not directed at you in particular.

      The NY Times article has a serious flaw with the military connections. If this ferry was meant to prove itself to the US Navy, and Austal wanted to win the JHSV contract, why would executive Alan Lerchbacker of Austal attempt to persuade HSF to build (2) 230 foot vessels instead of the 350? Then you would be proving with a wrong vessel?

      Comment


      • The Honolulu Weekly sez...

        www.honoluluweekly.com/features/2009/03/conspiracy-ferry

        Some interesting views within...
        https://www.facebook.com/Bobby-Ingan...5875444640256/

        Comment


        • Re: Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 9

          Posted on the Advertiser's Breaking News today:

          "The Hawai'i Superferry's Alakai vessel is set to depart from Honolulu Harbor to Mobile, Alabama at 3:30 p.m. today.
          "The Alakai's move to Mobile "is to position her for future employment," Superferry officials said.
          "The ship will travel 7,600 miles across the Pacific and through the Panama Canal."





          .
          .
          .

          That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

          Comment


          • Re: The latest lame justification

            Originally posted by joshuatree View Post
            If this ferry was meant to prove itself to the US Navy, and Austal wanted to win the JHSV contract, why would executive Alan Lerchbacker of Austal attempt to persuade HSF to build (2) 230 foot vessels instead of the 350?
            To cover his @ss, so that if and when Austal USA was selected, he could point to this conversation as proof it was Superferry officials, and not Austal USA, that had alterior motives. All of the players knew questions were being asked of them from the very beginning. I doubt with apologist propagandists like joshuatree around, that Lehman himself will ever be called to account for his misdeeds. Kind of like George W. Bush.

            We can’t be so fixated on our desire to preserve the rights of ordinary Americans.

            — U.S. President Bill Clinton
            USA TODAY, page 2A
            11 March 1993

            Comment


            • Re: Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 9

              File this under the category of "hollow victories."

              http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/ar...ING03/90407056
              This post may contain an opinion that may conflict with your opinion. Do not take it personal. Polite discussion of difference of opinion is welcome.

              Comment


              • Re: Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 9

                Hawaii Superferry files for bankruptcy

                Comment


                • Re: Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 9

                  Abandon ships

                  Ok, let's see if all those military conspiracies will come true or not. The stage's been set.

                  Comment


                  • Re: Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 9

                    It'll be repainted at an undisclosed Naval yard with stealth tech and be back cruising in Hawaiian waters without us knowing it...
                    https://www.facebook.com/Bobby-Ingan...5875444640256/

                    Comment


                    • Re: Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 9

                      Originally posted by joshuatree View Post
                      Abandon ships

                      Ok, let's see if all those military conspiracies will come true or not. The stage's been set.
                      Again, joshuatree would have us absurdly believe that the “military conspiracy” that culminated in the awarding of a $1.6 billion contract to Austal USA for the manufacture of 10 JHSV (Joint High Speed Vessels) that are essentially Superferries with helicopter landing pads and military armament, has somehow NOT already come true. Here’s further proof, direct from the mouth of Superferry builder and Austal CEO Bob Browning:

                      “...the Hawaii Super Ferry contract really was quite unusual. We were actually helping that company get started and put $30 million of mezzanine debt into the business which then allowed us to contract to build two large catamaran ferries for them. And strategically was important because it allowed us to build our workforce up in Mobile, Alabama which then allowed us to win the Joint High Speed Vessel program which is a very close derivative to that whole forum. So while it was unfortunate that Hawaii Super Ferry filed for Chapter 11, it was an unusual thing that we normally wouldn’t do, but it did position us for a much more lucrative contract with the Navy.

                      Last edited by TuNnL; August 29, 2009, 11:41 AM. Reason: inclusion of link

                      We can’t be so fixated on our desire to preserve the rights of ordinary Americans.

                      — U.S. President Bill Clinton
                      USA TODAY, page 2A
                      11 March 1993

                      Comment


                      • Re: Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 9

                        There is nothing wrong with having a firm like Austral build ships for the U.S. military.
                        I'm still here. Are you?

                        Comment


                        • Re: Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 9

                          Originally posted by TuNnL View Post
                          Again, joshuatree would have us absurdly believe that the “military conspiracy” that culminated in the awarding of a $1.6 billion contract to Austal USA for the manufacture of 10 JHSV (Joint High Speed Vessels) that are essentially Superferries with helicopter landing pads and military armament, has somehow NOT already come true. Here’s further proof, direct from the mouth of Superferry builder and Austal CEO Bob Browning:

                          “...the Hawaii Super Ferry contract really was quite unusual. We were actually helping that company get started and put $30 million of mezzanine debt into the business which then allowed us to contract to build two large catamaran ferries for them. And strategically was important because it allowed us to build our workforce up in Mobile, Alabama which then allowed us to win the Joint High Speed Vessel program which is a very close derivative to that whole forum. So while it was unfortunate that Hawaii Super Ferry filed for Chapter 11, it was an unusual thing that we normally wouldn’t do, but it did position us for a much more lucrative contract with the Navy.

                          The conspiracy theory I'm referring to is that specifically the two SF boats were secretly built for the US Navy and the whole ferry operation was nothing more than a scam to get taxpayers to pay for them. This remains to be seen. I'm still waiting for the Alakai and Huakai to be repainted in navy grey.

                          You also forget, it's not HSF who decided out of the blue to pull out the service. Anti-ferry folks with their self-destructive lawsuits did. There's no spin to that fact. So when and if the two boats become naval boats, anti-ferry folks were a part of that conspiracy.

                          How Austal wishes to spend it's money to help HSF so that it will help position themselves in the long run isn't something new. Many companies grease the wheels to put themselves ahead of the competition for military contracts. Airbus announced that if they win the US Airforce tanker fleet replacement bid, they will shift assembly of their A330 frieghters to the US. Airbus ended up winning the tanker contract. That's not military conspiracy, that's called business strategy. Happens everyday in private sector business deals. But they like to use euphemisms such as "strategic partnership" or "synergy".

                          Comment


                          • Re: Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 9

                            Huh? There's no conspiracy if the parties involved didn't CONSPIRE beforehand to achieve their objective(s). So anti-ferry folk cannot have been involved in a conspiracy unless they agreed with the superferry folk to mount a campaign against the superferry before the superferry concept was introduced to the state. I just find that idea a bit far-fetched.

                            joshuatree, your reasoning on this point is faulty - no matter the fate of the vessels, the anti-ferry group was not involved in a conspiracy with Austal and/or HSF.
                            Last edited by salmoned; September 3, 2009, 10:08 AM.
                            May I always be found beneath your contempt.

                            Comment


                            • Re: Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 9

                              It's just too bad we all lost the service!
                              There are inter-island ferries running all around the Pacific.
                              Hawaii is just asinine (inanely foolish) once again.
                              Life is either an adventure... or you're not doing it right!!!

                              Comment


                              • Re: Hawaii Superferry - Chapter 9

                                I always thought that a ferry service between island was a great idea.
                                Much better than a rail system on oahu.
                                I had really planed to try it. Really sorry I missed my chance.
                                I was wondering if anyone is investigating into whether the airlines and matson had a hand in sinking the Superferry?????
                                It would seem that they would have the most to lose. So it would stand to reason, they would be the ones to do anything to sink the Superferry.

                                Comment

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