Posted on: Monday, May 14, 2001

Firm plans for bigger ships in Kaua'i's Nawiliwili Harbor

Advertiser Staff

Hawaiian Tug & Barge said yesterday it plans upgrades that will allow it to station a tractor tug in Nawiliwili Harbor on Kaua'i as the islands gear up for a growing number of cruise-ship visits.

The company said it will upgrade its Mikiala II from a conventional tug to a tractor tug and place it in service in Honolulu, allowing it to move the Eleu to Nawiliwili by December.

"Eleu's move will be in response to the expected increase in cruise-ship activity to Nawiliwili from U.S. Lines, Norwegian Cruise Line and other passenger lines," Mark Cohen, the company's vice president of maritime operations, said in a statement.

Nawiliwili Harbor, Kaua'i's main harbor, has been the focus of some concern in recent months as harbor pilots say the new generation of bigger, more modern cruise ships, which average more than 960 feet in length, cannot be safely maneuvered through the harbor's S-shaped entrance.

Harbor pilots working Nawiliwili have twice refused to land Celebrity Cruise Lines' 965-foot-long Infinity, the first of a new generation of extra-large cruise ships that began calling in Hawai'i this year.

Three more ships the same size are due in Hawai'i this year, including Norwegian Cruise Line's Star, which will make Honolulu its home port in December, with plans to sail the islands once a week.

At a meeting last week, pilot representatives agreed with about 30 cruise executives, Coast Guard officers, harbors officials and shipping agents to ride the new ships during cruises this summer to work with the crews and see how the vessels perform. The group will meet again at the end of the summer and decide whether the ships will be able to stop in Kaua'i.

In announcing its upgrade yesterday, Hawaiian Tug & Barge said tractor tugs have increased maneuverability, which is especially suited for assisting large ships in and out of Hawai'i's tight harbors.