AOD Blog #1 - Negotiation

While I was in Hawaii during summer break, I watched the local news with my family. A headline story about the Superferry came up. The Hawaii Superferry is a new type of transportation which has the ability to travel between the Hawaiian islands. In my opinion, I think it is a benefit because it can boost up the economy and it is energy efficient (using less fuel and air conditioning, and clean engines). Also, local people can transport their vehicles from one island to the other. From the headline story, the super ferry was doing it's training and was about to dock on Kauai's port, from Oahu. Though, many protests prevented it to land on the port which had kept the ferry waiting for three hours in water.

This is related to negotiation because from that situation, it led the president/CEO of Hawaii Superferry and officials to cancel Kaua`i routes. Coast Guard officials stated that the passage to the port was unsafe because people who participated in the protest, such as surfers and swimmers, put themselves in Nawiliwili Harbor (Kauai's port). This would have led danger to the protest as well as the ferry. The governor, Linda Lingle, also got involved in the situation. She had agreed with the Coast Guard officials and asked Hawaii Superferry to not continue the route to Kauai because she believed that protesters and police alike could put themselves in water again. The protesters were concerned about the ferry because they worried Hawaii's change of environment. Especially, they were worried about the safety of sea animals (whales and dolphins).

While the ferry was transporting passengers to Kauai, another superferry also transported passengers to Maui. Then Maui's judge (from Supreme court) suspended Hawaii Superferry's Maui service, which made Maui's passengers stranded on the island. Two days later, in negotiation, Hawaii Superferry attended Hawaii's Supreme Court in Maui to determine whether to proceed on the continuation of service. Enviromental activists hoped the Hawaii Superferry would be banned. Hawaii Superferry temporarily canceled voyages to help the stranded passengers fly back to Oahu. Unfortunately for the activists, the court decided that Hawaii Superferry has the right to continue island voyages. The judge also stated that any protesters would face penalties for violating the safety zone (100-yard from the port).

This story had intrigued me so I recently looked up for any latest news about the superferry. I found an article "Hawaii Superferry Hearing Nears End" in Honolulu Advertiser. Greg Kaufman, who is part of a major foundation (Pacific Whale Foundation), was in his ninth day in Maui Circuit Court. He stated that "the size and speed of the 350-foot ferry pose a grave risk to whales and dolphins, and that the vessel's routes take it through areas favored by humpback whales that spend winter in Hawai'i." While acknowledging the citizens' optimistic interest in the ferry's continuation and knowing the benefits from the ferry, "he proposed slower speeds of 13 knots in shallower waters favored by whales, and a year-round Honolulu-to-Maui route farther north of Moloka'i than what the company plans to use [Nawilwili Harbor]." I agree of his proposal, because it can help solve the problem, or can help negotiate between the ferry's continuation of service and environmental activists. His proposal are siding both sides or view points. His proposal would change the protestors' mind because the ferry's change would continue the safeness and the health of the environment. Also, his proposal would help the hopeful, future passengers still be able to travel.