Facility Expansion: Hawaii

Hawaii: Pier 4 Project Groundbreaking at Hilo Harbor

The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT), Harbors Division, celebrated the Pier 4 Project at Hilo Harbor with a groundbreaking and dedication/blessing ceremony earlier this month. The multi-phase project includes: dredging and construction of the Pier 4 Inter-Island Cargo Terminal, construction of the Inter-Island Cargo Terminal Facility–Container Yard, and Kumau Street Entrance Improvements.

HDOT will begin work on the final phase the Pier 4 Inter-Island Cargo Terminal. The work entails the creation of a 602-foot, reinforced concrete pier that will be located to the west of the existing Pier 3.

The completed Inter-Island Cargo Terminal Facility–Container Yard component of the project reconstructed a portion of the existing container yard and built a new adjacent container yard with a comfort station, lighting, and utilities. This phase expanded the area available for cargo operations from six to ten acres.

The Kumau Street Entrance Improvements widened the street from a 2-lane roadway to a 4-lane roadway and provided intersection improvements. Improvements include new asphaltic concrete pavement, concrete sidewalks, curbs, gutters, drainage system, water main, and additional street lighting at the intersection.

"The construction of Pier 4 at Hilo Harbor will create a dedicated operating area for inter-island cargo operations which will relieve the issues that the harbor currently experiences," said HDOT Director Ford Fuchigami.

"Transporting provisions to Hawaii County will become more efficient, thus promoting economic and social growth."

The estimated total cost for the project is $68.5 million. Work on the final phase is anticipated to be completed by July 2017.

Currently, inter-island cargo operations are conducted at Pier 2, a pier constructed in the 1920s that functions with restrictions. Due to space limitations, operations at Pier 2 require space from Pier 1 and Pier 3. This creates the intermingling of cargo and cruise ship operations. The utilization of Pier 2 is also compromised when liquid-bulk operations occur at Pier 3. Creating Pier 4, a larger pier with a dedicated area, will improve safety and efficiency by separating the cargo and passenger operations. It will replace the aging Pier 2 and be able to support new container handling equipment and vessels.

Hilo Harbor traffic in FY 2013-14 consisted of some 1.2 million short tons of cargo, 39,165 container TEUs, 316,641 cruise passengers, and 833 ship calls.

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