Hornblower News


Hornblower Marine Delivers Hawaii Superferry

(New Albany, Indiana) September 12, 2007 — In his 27 years at sea, Captain Adam Parsons with Hornblower Marine Services (HMS) had been through the Panama Canal more than 80 times. He knew the drill well. Because the canal is painfully narrow and difficult to navigate without a scrape, it is the one place in the world where the captain of the ship must relinquish the controls to another captain. In this case, to a Panama Canal pilot.

But on Monday June 18, 2007, the Panama Canal's highly seasoned pilots were presented with the highly celebrated Alakai, the first vessel of the Hawaii Superferry. The vessel, operated by HMS, was on route to Honolulu to begin long awaited service between the islands of Maui, Kaua'I and O'ahu. With its penchant for effortless speed and a highly technical active ride control system so new that very few had been trained to operate it, the Panama Canal's pilots on duty graciously admitted they were out of their league. Captain Adam Parsons was given the go-ahead to keep control of the vessel and pilot the Hawaii Superferry's Alakai straight through the canal.

"This was a once in a lifetime experience that gave me a tremendous sense of accomplishment," says Parsons. "I was surprised by the Panama Canal pilots and their hands-off approach and have tremendous respect for their decision under the circumstances," adds Parsons.

For Hornblower Marine Services the story really began on June 1, 2004 when HMS first signed the contract to operate Hawaii Superferry's Alakai and facilitate its business plan. With extensive experience operating high speed vessels and passenger ferries, HMS had a tremendous advantage in the bidding. "Hornblower Marine Services truly was uniquely qualified to run the Alakai for Hawaii Superferry," says John Waggoner, Chief Executive Officer of Hornblower Marine Services.

As examples, Waggoner cites the U.S. Navy as very pleased, then and now, with HMS's operation of Westpac Express for training exercises in the Pacific Theater of Operations. Westpac Express is the only other high speed catamaran comparable to Hawaii Superferry's Alakai operated by an American company. HMS also brought to the table its highly impressive track record with Lake Express on Lake Michigan, the first high speed car ferry in the continental United States. "HMS's has a key credential, having developed the unique high speed code training for the International Maritime Organization that was approved by the U.S. Coast Guard," adds Waggoner.

HMS soon began to oversee the construction of the Alakai. By early 2007, HMS senior operations personnel - masters, chief mates, deck mates and engineers - attended one week of simulator training at the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots outside Baltimore. From there it was on to the shipyard in Mobile, Alabama for further cross-training, while finishing touches were put on the vessel.

"When you come from the world of tankers, big passenger ships and roll-on/roll-off vessels, it's like night and day," says Hornblower's Captain Parsons. He points out it is highly unusual for captains and mates to be cross-trained and for engineers to learn bridge systems, but it was essential on Hawaii Superferry's Alakai to eliminate mistakes early.

Parsons compares the Alakai to a race car. "The learning curve to find this high-powered vessel's correct ride or what we like to call 'sweet spot' is steep. There is speed without the sensation of speed. You can hit 40 knots and not feel it. You can stop at short distances," adds Parsons.

During the last week in Mobile, HMS's entire crew, including seamen, took the Alakai out in the Gulf of Mexico daily for day and night operations to demonstrate their competence to the U.S. Coast Guard. There was also the matter of extensive compliance documentation to be evaluated as well as port arrangements to be made. Making matters even more complex, there are no sleeping accommodations and limited cooking facilities on the vessel. Therefore special provisions had to be made for the crew's 16-day journey. Once Coast Guard inspectors were satisfied that HMS was ready to deliver the Alakai to Hawaii, a departure date was set.

On June 14, 2007, Hornblower Marine Services Masters --Joe Curtis, who was Master of Record, Adam Parsons, and Peter Kirk -- led Hawaii Superferry's Alakai out of the Port of Mobile for a 7600-mile journey to Honolulu. Traveling an average of 450 miles per day, the HMS crew reached the Panama Canal four days later on June 18 and completed passage in about 8 hours. The next stop six days later on June 24 was the Port of Los Angeles to refuel, grant media interviews and be seen by the public. After two-days in Southern California, HMS's crew was ready to the final leg of the voyage home to Hawaii, which took about 3 days.

On Saturday, June 30, 2007 Hornblower Marine Services and Hawaii Superferry's Alakai were welcomed with great fanfare into Honolulu Harbor's Pier 19. But for the HMS crew, there was more work to do. There were tests in vessel systems and 8 round-trip trials from each route to demonstrate that HMS could operate the vessel as safely as it was delivered.

After a series of textbook demonstrations by HMS at 30 knots in 14-foot seas, service on the Hawaii Superferry's Alakai was able to begin on August 26, 2007, two days earlier than originally planned.

"I am very proud of all 78 Hornblower Marine Services employees assigned to Hawaii Superferry," says CEO John Waggoner. "We hope to part of the success of this great public service for many years to come," adds Waggoner.

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Hawaii Superferry Facts

Size: 350 LOA x 78 ABEAM
Hornblower Marine Services Employees: 78
Capacity: 866 passengers, 288 cars or 16 large trucks