Hawaii Water Carriers Working Group (HWCWG)

During the regular 2020 legislative session, the Senate adopted SR 125 SD 1, requesting the Public Utilities Commission to convene a working group to discuss and recommend both mid-term and long-term solutions to balance the need for continuous interisland / intrastate water carrier service in the State of Hawaii with the need for water carriers to maintain financial sustainability.

The HWCWG held 13 stakeholder meetings from August 2020 through October 2021 to gather background information on water carriers, Hawaii’s harbor system, regulatory oversight of water carriers, identify potential issues and topic areas, establish small groups/subcommittees for each topic area, and to have initial discussion on the development of recommendations.

The HWCWG’s final report was submitted to the legislature on December 27, 2021.

Final Report of the HWCWG

The HWCWG identified gaps, critical areas and topic areas and then engaged in a Force Field Analysis to develop six recommendations around three topic areas: (1) A two-tiered interim annual rate adjustment for regulated cargo rates along with the requirement for the water carrier to submit a general rate case every three years; (2) Enhancing the water carrier’s reservation system to cover all lines of services which will improve the accuracy of booking reservations and improving the overall customer experience; and (3) Establishment of a broad subsidy for trans-Pacific and interisland cargo, the source of which may come from existing or newly created federal, state, and county government programs.

Working Group Meeting Agendas, Memories, Status Reports, Presentations and Other Material by Meeting Date

Date (download all files) Agenda Notes – Group Memory Reports Presentations and Other Materials
Meeting #1 – July 31, 2020
Meeting #2 – September 17, 2020 Agenda Notes – Group Memory Meeting #1
Meeting #3 – October 15, 2020 Agenda Notes – Group Memory Meeting #2
Meeting #3 – Breakout
Meeting #4 – November 19, 2020 Agenda Notes – Group Memory Meeting #4
Meeting #4 – Breakout Agriculture Stakeholders December 9, 2020 Notes – Group Memory Meeting #4 Breakout Agriculture Stakeholders Listening Session
Meeting #5 – December 17, 2020 Agenda Notes – Group Memory Meeting #4
Meeting #6 – January 21, 2021 Agenda Notes – Group Memory Meeting #5
Meeting #7 – March 18, 2021 Agenda Notes – Group Memory Meeting #6
Meeting #7 – Breakout Rates Agenda January 29, 2021

Agenda February 12, 2021

 

Agenda February 25, 2021

 

Agenda March 12, 2021

Group Memory January 29, 2021

Group Memory February 12, 2021

 

Group Memory February 25, 2021

Meeting #7 – Breakout Sustainability & Profitability Notes – Group Memory January 28, 2021

 

Notes – Group Memory February 4, 2021

Meeting #8 – May 20, 2021 Agenda Notes – Group Memory Meeting #7
Meeting #9 – June 17, 2021 Agenda Notes – Group Memory Meeting #8
Meeting #10 – July 15, 2021 Agenda Notes – Group Memory Meeting #9
Meeting #11 – August 19, 2021 Agenda Notes – Group Memory Meeting #10
Meeting #12 – September 16, 2021 Agenda Notes – Group Memory Meeting #11
Meeting #13 – October, 22, 2021 Agenda Notes – Group Memory Meeting #12
Post Meeting – November 9, 2021 Notes – Group Memory Meeting #13
Updated 12/2021