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Molokai-Maui ferry
to start anew

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By Gary Kubota
Star-Bulletin

LAHAINA -- Molokai residents are hoping a new ferry service between Kaunakakai and Lahaina will help the island's economy and reduce what is the highest unemployment rate in the state.

Sea Link of Hawaii, which operates cruises out of Lahaina, is planning to begin a round-trip service by the end of January.

Company president David Jung said the service will be offered daily Monday through Saturday and allow Molokai residents to commute to work on Maui.

Jung said he decided to begin the service in light of the rise in the tourist market and improvements in visitor accommodations made by Molokai Ranch.

Sea Link plans to charge Molokai commuters $15 for a round trip, with 50 seats reserved for them. Rates for the general public would be $40 one way for adults and $20 for children.

Under a proposed schedule, the vessel would depart Kaunakakai at 6 a.m. and arrive at Lahaina Harbor's Pier 3 at 7:15 a.m. The return trip would leave at 5 p.m. and arrive at 6:15 p.m.

The previous Molokai-Maui ferry shut down in October 1996 when the number of daily commuters fell and a state subsidy ended. Jung said the new service would receive no state subsidy, but workers might be eligible to receive federal subsidies to commute to work.

Jung said the new vessel would receive a commercial ocean recreation permit from the state which would enable it to stop at the harbor to pick up visitors for cruises.

The 149-passenger Molokai Princess was previously used in San Francisco Bay and is being is refitted in Seattle. Jung said the boat is a little faster than the vessel used in the early 1990s.

Sea Link of Maui conducts commercial cruises on Maui and operates the vessel Maui Princess.

State labor officials say the ferry service comes at a time when job demand is high on Maui and still relatively low on Molokai.

The service would also provide lower fares to Molokai high school teams that compete on Maui.