Public asked to comment on subsidized ferry proposal
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Maui County officials are hoping to create a subsidized ferry system in Valley Isle waters, where private ferries have sometimes shut down in the past.
The proposal to create subsidized ferry links between Maui and Lanai and between Maui and Molokai will be the subject of a series of public meetings called by the county Department of Transportation in mid-September.
Comments by the public are expected to be incorporated into a required environmental assessment.
The department said the assessment will evaluate environmental, cultural and socioeconomic impacts and support for future funding efforts.
The Molokai Princess ferry between Lahaina and Kaunakakai operated for 30 years, before shutting down in 2016, citing decreased ridership, state government regulations and its inability to compete with airlines that had federal subsidies.
The Hawaii Superferry between Maui's Kahului Harbor and Oahu shut down in 2009, after the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled a state law allowing the ferry to skip a full environmental review was unconstitutional. The ferry had operated for about a year and a half.
Supporters of the proposal say a county-supported ferry would be different in scale and approach than what has happened in the past with private entities.
Maui County Council member Gabe Johnson, who holds the Lanai seat, said the county could pursue federal funding opportunities that are available. "The important thing to note here is if the county owns the ferry, we are eligible for federal grants," Johnson said.
He said grants are available, including one that applies to new ferry services, and federal monies through congressional earmarks in transportation.
Johnson said like the county bus system, the ferry should be subsidized because it provides essential services to Molokai and Lanai, helping people in health emergencies and also providing transportation for first responders.
"It's the people going to Maui for professional appointments," he said. "We don't have those services on Lanai, so we have to go off-island for all those reasons -- health, medical. We're going for the real-life stuff, so I think that's such an important aspect of it."
There is currently no ferry service to Molokai. Expeditions offers a Maui-Lanai passenger ferry that makes three round trips a day. The ferry is based out of Maalaea Harbor on Maui and charges a standard rate of $138 per round trip for an adult and $69 for a child. Kama'aina rates include $83 round trip for an adult and $31 for a child.
Under a proposal outlined in a 2025 Maui County Feasibility Study, the county would purchase Expeditions' assets for the Maui-Lanai ferry, including its three ships, and then issue a contract to an entity to operate and maintain the ferry.
The plan is to eventually purchase two ferry vessels capable of crossing the more challenging Pailolo Channel to provide service to Molokai.
Council member Keani Rawlins-Fernandez, who holds the Molokai residency seat, said the Molokai community supports having a ferry again, provided it's affordable and undergoes proper inspections to prevent the spread of invasive species.
She said the proposed passenger ferries are smaller and wouldn't be carrying vehicles that could unintentionally bring invasive species through various means, including potted plants, compost and soil.
She said a Molokai-Maui ferry would provide another means of traveling to medical appointments on the Valley Isle.
She said in addition to flights, Molokai High School sports teams could also travel together to participate in Maui Interscholastic League competitions.
Rawlins-Fernandez said airfares have climbed to $124 one way, leaving more opportunities for ferries to compete in the Molokai-Maui transportation market.
Maui County Council member Kauanoe Batangan, a former deputy director of the county Department of Transportation who oversaw the ferry feasibility study, said it is evident that the ferries are lifelines for the Lanai and Molokai communities.
"That’s why I’m OK making the public investment in having a county-owned ferry system," he said. "We would be running this as a public good or public service for the community. You know it's going to take a significant investment."
One advantage of the county owning the ferry, Batangan said, is that the County Council could be more responsive in changing passenger rates through the budget process.
Batangan said the reason why Lanai is being included in the ferry proposal is that the owners want to retire and have expressed an interest in selling the company.
The feasibility study estimates the county would need a subsidy of $1.9 million annually to operate an interisland ferry system and more than $46.3 million for purchases and expansion.
According to the study, the county ferry system would show estimated revenue to $68.6 million and operation expenditures of $87.2 million from 2026 to 2036.
Read the full feasibility study at tinyurl.com/4c3yvstc.
For more information, go to mauicounty.gov/2937/Ferry-Program, call the county Department of Transportation at (808) 270-7511 or email Public.Transit@mauicounty.gov.
The meetings are scheduled for:
Sept. 15 -- 5-6:30 p.m. at Velma McWayne Santos Community Center in Wailuku.
Sept. 16 -- 5-6:30 p.m. at Lahaina Civic Center in Lahaina.
Sept. 17 -- 2-3:30 p.m. at Mitchell Pauʻole Community Center on Molokai.
Sept. 19 -- 11 a.m.-noon at Lanai Senior Center on Lanai.