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U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood said that the
Department's Maritime Administration (MARAD)
is sending five ships to assist with relief efforts in Haiti.
 One
of them is the former Hawaii Superferry Huakai. The others are the Gopher State,
Petersburg, Cornhusker State and Cape May.
They are being prepared to sail to the Caribbean Ocean from different parts of
the United States. All are owned or controlled by MARAD, and will be crewed by
civilian U.S. merchant mariners.
Huakai is the second of the two Hawaii Superferry high speed cats built by
Austal for the failed Hawaii ferry
operation. Unlike its sister ship, it never entered service. Also unlike its
sister ship, it is fitted with a bi-fold stern ramp that may prove particularly
useful in Hawaii relief operations. The 373-foot Huakai can travel 30+ knots
with available seating for in excess of 800 passengers and a cargo deck capacity
of 25,000 square feet.
Hornblower Marine Services (HMS)
will be operating the Huakai for MARAD and supplying crews.
"Sending these ships will help those on the front line of this effort save as
many lives in Haiti as possible," said Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood.
"These ships will add crucial capabilities by supporting operations to move
large volumes of people and cargo."
"Once again the U.S. Merchant Marine is answering the call for assistance, as it
has done since our Nation began," said Acting Maritime Administrator David T.
Matsuda. "These ships and skilled crews are ideally suited to assist in Haiti by
providing unique capabilities. One cargo ship can carry as much as 400 fully
loaded cargo planes." |
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