Hawaii Superferry has notified the state that it intends to return to service ahead of schedule — welcome news to many interisland travelers trying to cope with this week's abrupt shutdown of Aloha Airlines' passenger flights.

The company notified the agency's Harbors Division on Monday of plans to resume trips between Honolulu and Maui as early as this week, according to an amended state procurement request for tugboat services filed by the Department of Transportation.

Superferry's high-speed catamaran, the Alakai, has been out of service since Feb. 13, when it went into drydock for repairs. The company previously announced plans to resume service on April 23, but the $85 million vessel was released from drydock last week and is back home at Pier 19 in Honolulu Harbor.

Superferry president and CEO John Garibaldi said in an e-mail to The Advertiser yesterday, "There's still work to be done in getting her ready to resume our Maui-O'ahu service. ... We're hopeful that she will be sailing soon. More to come."

Harbors Division chief Michael Formby said Garibaldi told him yesterday the company has not come up with a firm date for the resumption of service. "They are still dealing with some issues that need to be resolved before they resume service," Formby said.

"Given the situation with Aloha Airlines, I believe they see the benefits associated with a return to service sooner rather than later, but they are not ready to announce the date yet."

Although Superferry does not need Coast Guard approval to resume operations following repairs, company officials decided to move up next month's required annual inspection to coincide with the completion of drydock work, said Coast Guard Lt. John Titchen.

The inspection, which includes observing operations at sea, started Friday and is scheduled to continue today, Titchen said.

TUGBOAT ARRANGEMENT

After being informed of Superferry's intention to resume service sooner than planned, the Harbors Division moved to make sure a tugboat is available to support ferry loading and unloading operations at Kahului Harbor.

The tugboat is needed approximately three hours a day to keep a state-owned ferry barge snug against the end of Pier 2C, which is subject to winter ocean swells.

Under an agreement with the Coast Guard, the DOT must use a tugboat to secure the barge until winter conditions abate, or until a permanent, Coast Guard-approved mooring system is installed.

The original request was for an amount up to $350,000 for 10 weeks of tugboat service from Jan. 18 to March 31. Only a small portion of that money actually was spent because the ferry was in drydock. The precise amount was not immediately available.

Before the ferry went into drydock, the Harbors Division was soliciting bids for the service every two weeks and was alternating between P&M Marine Services LLC and Hawaiian Tug & Barge at a rate of approximately $800 an hour, Formby said.

WINTER CONDITIONS

Officials hoped the need for a tugboat would diminish by the end of March, Formby said, but with northeast swells continuing to roll in periodically, it became apparent the services would have to be extended.

Although the amended procurement request covers an additional three months at a cost of up to $350,000, Formby said he is hopeful ocean conditions will calm by the end of April, eliminating the need for a tug until next winter.

KAHULUI DISPUTE

For the summer and fall months, the DOT will install a mooring system that uses rigid lines instead of the soft lines, or ropes, now in use to allow the barge to ride up and down with the swells when not in operation.

Winter storm surges have resulted in damage to the pier or barge on at least three occasions since mid-November.

Meanwhile, the DOT, Hawaii Superferry and barge builder Healy Tibbitts Builders Inc. have yet to resolve a dispute over who is responsible for problems with the ferry barge's mooring system at Kahului Harbor.

Superferry officials have contended the system is inadequate and suffered multiple failures even during periods when its vessel was not in operation and when there were no harbor swells.

Healy Tibbitts has claimed the mooring lines were improperly manipulated after the barge was turned over to the DOT and that thrust from the Alakai's water jets was overloading the system.

The DOT was investigating whether Healy Tibbitts has warranty obligations to deal with the problem.

Formby said the three parties have meetings scheduled to further discuss the matter.

Hawaii Superferry relaunched operations Dec. 13 after an initial startup Aug. 26 that was cut short a day later following a court ruling supporting a call for a study of the ferry's potential environmental impacts.

State lawmakers and Gov. Linda Lingle later approved legislation that allowed the ferry to operate while a study is conducted.

The DOT last month concluded a round of statewide hearings to collect public comments for preparation of a draft environmental impact statement. Formby said the draft EIS is expected to be released in October, with a final report anticipated in May 2009.