Updated at 7:03 p.m., Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Superferry cancels tomorrow's Maui trip
By Christie Wilson
Advertiser Neighbor Island Editor
A state-owned barge used to load and unload vehicles from the 350-foot high-speed catamaran sustained minor damage as a result of large swells within the harbor, according to Michael Formby, DOT deputy director for harbors.
A full assessment of the damage is not yet available, and an estimate of repair costs and timing will not be known until an inspector can examine the barge, Formby said. The pier and barge repairs will have to get Coast Guard approval before being put back into use, he said.
Similar harbor surge conditions in early December resulted in damage to the pier and barge and delayed the restart of Hawaii Superferry service by a week.
Rough seas in the open ocean along the ferry route forced the company to cancel service four days in a row in late December.
