History
Private steamships and ferries were the sole way of traveling between the islands from the 19th century until the 1950s and returned twice since statehood, once in 1966 between Oahu, Maui and Big Island, and Seaflite which operated hydrofoils between the major islands in the mid-1970s. Currently there is passenger ferry service between Moloka'i and Maui, between Lana'i and Maui. Neither of these takes vehicles.
The concept of the Superferry was founded in 2001 and first announced by founders Timothy Dick, John Garibaldi, and Robert "Terry" White in September 2003 after more than two years of planning. Hawaii Superferry stated its plans to operate a daily service between the newly built interisland ferry terminal at Pier 19 in Honolulu Harbor to Kahului on Maui and Nawiliwili on Kauai, with later expansion of service to Kawaihae near Kona on the Big Island. The company claimed fares for a family trip to be similar to the equivalent airfare, car rental, and parking.
In January 2004, the company formed a partnership with Austal to build two high-speed catamarans. Construction on the first ship began in June 2004. Meanwhile, the company secured its first investors, including Maui Land & Pineapple Company and Grove Farm on Kauaʻi. and a MARAD loan guarantee of $140 million
Read more about this topic: Hawaii Superferry
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