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Inter-Island Ferry System
Involve
High
TBD
Planning
County
State
County & State
Private
The Molokaʻi Princess
Purpose
There is no public alternative for reliable inter-island transportation between the three islands within the County. Ferries are important for maintaining and strengthening connections between communities for social reasons, such as the ability for schools to travel between islands for sports and cultural activities, as well as inter-island competitions. The ferry operating out of Lahaina Harbor to Lānaʻi is only semi-operational and the airfare between Lānaʻi and Maui is primarily private.
Project Description
This project will create an inter-island ferry system that would deliver public transportation between Maui, Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi to improve access to resources for remote locations. It would provide increased resilience and could serve as evacuation and transportation of goods and services in the event of an emergency. Additionally, the ferry system would retain revenue from fares within County, rather than private corporations. There would be lower construction disruption and costs compared to building bridges, trains and tunnels.
Lānaʻi Ferry
Interdependencies and Roadblocks
This project is dependent on the findings of the feasibility study currently being conducted that is set to be completed in February 2025. There was a feasibility study conducted in 2017 for the State Department of Transportation about inter- and intra- island ferry systems. They evaluated an intra-County system between Maui and Molokaʻi to restore the service absent since Sea Link ceased its operations in 2016 as part of the study. From the study: ”An intra-island ferry system, or an intra-County system between Maui and Molokaʻi, will link two points on a single island or within a County that would primarily accommodate commuters which may also alleviate traffic congestion.” Also in the study: ”The anomaly among these four ferry systems is the Maui-Molokaʻi intra-County system. The market study results align with the other prospective routes, but the anecdotal comments from all participants accentuate a very real need for this service to be restored.” The County Ferry
Feasibility Study’s public engagement conducted two rounds of engagement including a survey (1,704 responses) and a total of 16 workshops held in July/August (155 participants) and October 2024 (120 participants). Overall, there was broad support for ferry service to Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi, though concerns existed about environmental and tourism impacts, vessel suitability and connections to ground transportation. Preferences included later Lānaʻi return trips, an interest in both Maʻalaea and Lahaina as Maui ports, lower fares than air travel, and improved baggage handling. Skepticism surrounded Seaglider technology. Regarding Maui terminals, Lahaina (upon reopening) was favored, while Kahului was deemed unsuitable. Proposed amenities received general support.
Next Steps
- Once the feasibility study is completed in February 2025, concrete next steps will be identified
Project Details
Cost Estimate:
TBD
Existing Funding Sources:
Project Lead:
- County Department of Transportation
- Maui Metropolitan Planning Organization
Potential Funding Sources:
TBD
Project Partners:
U.S. Department of Transportation
Alignment with West Maui Community Plan (WMCP)
- Goal 2.2 A complete, balanced, and connected transportation network