Defueling Of Grounded Ferry Off Lahaina Gets Underway
A helicopter is helping to remove the fuel from the Maui Princess passenger vessel.
It will take several days to remove an estimated 2,500 gallons of fuel from the Maui Princess, a grounded passenger ferry off Lahaina, according to the Department of Land and Natural Resources.
The 100-foot-long ferry went aground last week on what appears to be a shallow shelf of sand and rubble. The grounding occurred after the ferry broke free of its mooring last Thursday morning after a part reportedly failed, according to a DLNR press release.
In addition to fuel, salvage crews will remove batteries, hazardous materials and other items from the Maui Princess.
David Willoughby of Willoughby Consulting and Adjusting is leading the defueling effort with use of a helicopter.
DLNR’s Division of Aquatic Resources is providing guidance to minimize any impacts to the sea floor and living corals in the area.
Willoughby anticipates it will take a helicopter nine to 10 trips to remove most of the fuel.
鈥淐ompared to some other groundings I鈥檝e been involved with, while in the U.S. Coast Guard, and while owning my own company, this one is relatively easy,鈥 he said in the release.
High surf has been pounding the West Maui coastline. Unsafe conditions have prevented aquatic biologists from entering the water to assess possible damage to marine habitats.
Earlier this year, an 85-foot former Navy torpedo boat grounded on Sugar Beach in North Kihei while the ferry grounded outside the Maalaea Small Boat Harbor.
In the case of the Navy vessel Chaparral, the grounding happened on Jan. 9 and released an oil sheen into the water, the Coast Guard said in a news release.
The Chaparral鈥檚 owner left the scene so the salvage costs were expected to be borne by the state鈥檚聽, financed with fees and charges that boaters pay. DLNR awarded an $841,820 contract to a salvage company to handle the Chaparral grounding.
A series of powerful storms in 2023 and early this year contributed to a higher than usual number of boat groundings on Maui, according to DLNR.
On Jan. 26, the agency said it had counted 15 groundings in 2023 and in early 2024. Last year started off with the grounding of the super yacht Nakoa about 600 yards north of Honolua-Mokuleia Bay Marine Life Conservation District.
The Board of Land and Natural Resources initially proposed a fine against the owners of $117,000 for damage to corals and live rock. The board increased it to $1.8 million after hearing public testimony that the earlier fine amounted to a slap on the wrist.
Civil Beat’s coverage of Maui County is supported in part by a grant from the Nuestro Futuro Foundation.
Civil Beat’s coverage of Maui environmental issues is supported by grants from the Center for Disaster Philanthropy and the Hawaii Wildfires Recovery Fund, the Knight Foundation and the Doris Duke Foundation
