- The goal, light ship displacement, should be approximately 15500 to 16000 tons, but any value is acceptable so long as it can be justified.
- The Ships should be able to operate in harbors with a draft of 26 feet (7.9m) at mean low tide of 0.0 feet. Assume a variability of no more than 2.5 feet (0.76m) for all tides.
- If the hull exceeds oldPANAMAX dimensions, it's too large.
- Capacity for 200 passenger cars plus 89 commercial vehicles simultaneously.
- Car values are as follows:
- Height is 7.5 feet (2.29m) tall.
- Lane width is 8.5 feet (2.59m) wide.
- Unit length of each car is 19 feet (5.79m) (based on an 18.5 foot (5.64m) car with six inches (0.15m) of clearance) for a total Lineal length of 3800 feet (1159m).
- The weight per vehicle is limited to 5,550 lbs (2517kg) with an axle load of 2,775 lbs (~1259kg)
- Commercial vehicle values are as follows:
- Height is 16 feet (4.88m) tall.
- Lane width is 10.5 feet (3.2m) wide.
- Unit length of each vehicle is 30.5 feet (9.3m) (based on a 30 foot (9.15m) rigid truck with six inches (0.15m) of clearance). for a total Lineal length of 2750 feet (838.2m).
- Maximum axle load is 32,200 lbs (14606kg).
- Car values are as follows:
- Vehicle decks can be either connected by ramps or lifts or separate loading via a bi-level on-shore facility (these facilities are presumed to exist at the major ports, however the ability to transfer loads between decks without these facilities would be seen as a plus)
- As many passenger seats & Berths as practical (825 passengers total must be embarked).
- Stern door for vehicle loading, side doors for unloading, and no bow door.
- No less than one helicopter capable pad for use in disaster relief and medivac situations.
- Ability for conversion to disaster relief including but not limited to oil spill containment, evacuation, and hospital ship missions.
- Architecturally, it's should be decedent of an ocean going ship, so think something like this: MV Columbia (only much bigger)
Rather than this : MV Bretagne. - Sustained, operational cruise speeds of 20 knots are required, but speeds above 25 knots are not beneficial (and additional speed that causes increased fuel consumption is counter-productive).
- Operational range of no less than 4000km (2160nm), but ranges in excess of 6000km (3240nm) likely represent trade-offs in the design that are not desirable.
- O'ahu to Kaua'i - 2 daily sailings (5 hours one way)
- O'ahu to Hawai'i - 3 daily sailings (7.5 to 8 hours one way)
- O'ahu to Maui - 4 daily sailings (either 4 or 5 hours depending on season)
- Maui to Hawai'i - 2 daily sailings (either 4 or 5 hours depending on season - note longer routes on both sides of Maui happen during the winter/spring season)
- O'ahu to Kaua'i and return then O'ahu to Maui.
- O'ahu to Maui and return then O'ahu to Kaua'i.
- O'ahu to Maui, Maui to Hawai'i, return.
- O'ahu to Maui, Maui to Hawai'i, return.
- One O'ahu to Hawai'i run.
- One O'ahu to Hawai'i run.
- One O'ahu to Hawai'i run.
- One Active Ready Reserve
- One Maintenance Reserve
- Two Supplemental Schedule (filling in on Holidays and when there are wait-listed cars and trucks)
The ports used are as follows:
- Kaua'i Port: Lihue, ships to O'ahu. Hanapepe Bay, ships to Ni'ihau.
- O'ahu Port: Honolulu
- Hawai'i Port: Kawaihae (June-November)/Kailua-Kona (December-May) for ferries from O'ahu and Hilo for steamers from Maui (The ports switch to avoid the whale calving waters when the whales are confirmed to have arrived in numbers sometime in December by oceanographers and then switch back as soon as possible in May with their departure)
- Maui Port: Lahaina (June-November) all ships/Kahului (December-May) for Moloka'i, Hawai'i and O'ahu arrival/departures, Le Perouse Bay for Lanai and Kaho'Olawe arrivals and departures.
- Moloka'i Port: Kaunakakai (June-November)/Halawa Bay (December-May) -- 4 foot bar to the deep inner cove blasted with massive quantities of dynamite to allow access from the 45-foot deep outer cove.
- Lanai Port: Hulopo'E Marina at Manele Bay
- Kaho'Olawe Port: Keoneuli Cove on Kanapou Bay
- Ni'ihau Port: Kamalino Bay (Cook Anchorage)
Fare structure for short and long haul routes
Recommendations of the Joint Commission on Maritime Safety
The important part of this last link is that each side of the ship must have enough lifeboats for 75% of the passengers and crew, or the ship must be capable of launching lifeboats from both sides while under a severe list.
Minor additional data:
Christmas however represents a problem. Because of the Whale calving season having started, combined with an added holiday demand, the Rail ferries are re-purposed into transporting trucks and additional cars. This allows for additional passenger/car service at the expense of rail service. The gap in capacity is made up for with the annual arrival and charter of a Californian Carrougha CONRAIL ship on the annual new car/locomotive delivery. The ship is then chartered for the ensuing 4 months to allow the rail ferries to undergo their annual maintenance schedule.
As a side note, there is fortnightly RO-CON service to the US west coast. This route does not take passengers.
Rotterdam's service from the Islands to San Francisco is also fortnightly, and other than cruise ships is the only passenger vessel service between the US and California. She will be replaced in late 2013 by one of the two Californian built liners, at which time she goes into an enhanced maintenance schedule combined with inter-island cruising allowing for service to 2025.
Designs from the years 1975-Present will be accepted (as the fleet of 11 ships was purchased in small batches over the last 40 years).
Design selection will be made by myself (TimothyC) in conjunction with Voyager989 and M.I.Rielly-Collette. I look forward to seeing what is produced.