4th of July weekend a boom for Superferry
The extended Fourth of July weekend could set a record for the
Hawaii Superferry, according to advance booking numbers released yesterday by President and Chief Executive Adm. Tom Fargo.
The Alakai is projected to transport more than 6,000 passengers between yesterday and Monday, with the ship running at capacity on the morning trip to Maui yesterday. He did not have vehicle numbers available.
Those numbers could top Memorial Day weekend's 5,500 passengers and 1,500 vehicles, shipped from Friday through Monday of that weekend.
"It's a big weekend," Fargo said. "What we've found is that not only on the Fourth of July and Memorial Day, but really on all weekends, people are going to see their families."
"The Alakai shipped 22,000 passengers and 6,003 vehicles in May, its first full month of operations after restarting daily service to Maui on April 7 following nearly two months of maintenance and repair work.
A second round-trip voyage to Kahului was launched on May 9, with afternoon service on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
May's numbers put the Superferry at only a little more than half its break-even business model of 400 passengers and 110 vehicles per trip.
The superferry has 836 seats and can haul a maximum of about 220 vehicles, Fargo said.
"We have seen the ridership grow week over week," Fargo said. "It provides an alternative they don't have otherwise."
"May was a record month for the Superferry, which quadrupled the number of passengers of April, when it carried a high of 5,665 passengers and 1,747 vehicles.