Maui judge extends order barring Superferry from Kahului

WAILUKU, Maui — A state judge on Friday extended a temporary restraining order barring the Hawaii Superferry from using Maui's Kahului Harbor.

Maui Circuit Judge Joseph Cardoza issued the TRO on Aug. 27, prohibiting the company's ferry from docking at the harbor, but the directive was due to expire on Sunday.

Cardoza agreed at a hearing to extend the preliminary injunction, according to a report by The Honolulu Advertiser.

Cardoza is to decide whether the ferry can resume operations while the state conducts an environmental review of ferry-related harbor projects.

He's considering whether the potential risks of allowing the ferry to operate during an environmental assessment outweighs the harm suffered by the company and the state from confining the boat to Oahu.

Meanwhile, Superferry executives have told the state Senate the company may have to leave the islands if it doesn't find out within the next six weeks that it can operate in Hawaii.

State Senate President Colleen Hanabusa spoke with Superferry executives recently at a her office.

"My understanding is that they have staying power for a month — outside, a month and a half," she told the Advertiser.

In a statement Friday, Superferry CEO John Garibaldi said company officials have had discussions with several parties, including members of the Senate "about our inability to sustain operations indefinitely without revenue.

"We need to have actionable information within four to six weeks in order for us to determine whether or not we can continue to operate," he said.

Hanabusa said she hopes to meet with state Attorney General Mark Bennett this weekend to discuss the possibility of a special session of the Legislature to address the Superferry situation.