"The Oahu Commercial Harbors 2020 Master Plan is a guide to develop, maintain and enhance Oahu's commercial harbor system to ensure its efficient, safe, accessible and economical operations.

The objectives of the Master Plan are:

• To plan the necessary port and harbor facilities to meet the future operational requirements of Oahu's commercial harbor users.  Facilities will be planned to preserve or enhance current harbor capacity and to insure a high level of safety, a reliable security system and preservation of the environment.
  
• To promote Hawaii's economy through a focus on facilities for cargo, tourism, and commercial fishing operations in a manner that best relates to and serves the commerce of the State.
  
• To optimize the maritime commercial utilization of port and adjacent resources in creating an efficient, productive, accessible, and 'user friendly' harbor environment.
  
• To actively pursue solutions to commercial harbor problems through the identification, acquisition and development of additional harbors facilities, including but not limited to Keehi Lagoon, Pearl Harbor and Kaneohe Bay."

  Planning Committee, August 8, 1995

Geographic forces provided a sheltered refuge for the early trading ships at the mouth of Nuuanu Stream.  With the successful development of this protected, coral-reefed basin into one of the world's major commercial harbors, came the subsequent establishment and growth of the port city of Honolulu.  Now, as Honolulu prepares to lead Hawaii into the 21st century, it must address the requirements of its base infrastructure - the port system.  Oahu's commercial harbors demand comprehensive planning, development and expansion if they are to continue to sustain Hawaii.

The State of Hawaii's 1961 commercial harbor plan, The Honolulu Waterfront, Part One: General Plan For The Honolulu Waterfront Area and Part Two: Development Plan For Maritime Facilities, was based on the needs of the harbor users and the rapid growth of the ocean cargo industry.  This planning focus was successfully sustained until the writing of the Honolulu Waterfront Master Plan in 1989.  This 1989 general plan altered existing commercial harbor plans in an attempt to enhance the oceanside scenery between Magic Island and the Reef Runway as a supporting visitor attraction.

Since 1989, however, financial support for non-maritime development of the lands surrounding Honolulu Harbor has declined.  The spatial, facility and support requirements of Hawaii's life-line ocean cargo carriers, on the other hand, have increased.  This shift in trends necessitates the return to a focus on the needs and projected growth of the maritime community.  The Oahu Commercial Harbors 2020 Master Plan, using current economic indicators to plan the infrastructure required by Hawaii's essential commodity carriers, will be incorporated into and update the Honolulu Waterfront Master Plan, as well as the 2010 master plans for Honolulu and Barbers Point harbors.

Like the 2010 commercial harbor master plan, the 2020 Master Plan will provide a general long-range guide for commercial harbor development, based on the knowledge and experience of the users of the facilities and their anticipation of future trends.  The 2020 Master Plan remains flexible, allowing adaptations to changing economic, social, land use policy and other forces that shape harbor developments.  Planning documents are usually updated every five years to address such changes.

Honolulu Harbor in the year 2020 is envisioned with a second entrance channel, four container terminals, an inter-island cargo terminal, liquid and dry bulk cargo facilities, neobulk and breakbulk cargo facilities, backlands and pier facilities for automobile shipments, a domestic fishing village, four cruise ship terminals, two ferry terminals, an excursion vessel terminal, a maritime office building, the Foreign Trade Zone "One Stop Shop," adequate berthing for the anticipated number and types of vessels and the necessary roadways to support these operations.

Kewalo Basin's plans reflect a gradual transition to ocean-based tourist activities with commercial fishing being relocated to Honolulu Harbor and Keehi Lagoon.  Shore side land uses will be developed by the Hawaii Community Development Authority (HCDA).

Recommendations for Barbers Point Deep Draft Harbor include the expansion of the harbor with additional piers and yards to accommodate expanded cargo capabilities. Efforts to deepen the harbor and improve the entrance channel will be coordinated with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Commercial maritime activity is planned for both Ala Wai Boat Harbor and Keehi Lagoon.  The former's "front row" is targeted for off-shore activity boats.  Two marinas for recreational vessels, commercial fishing boats and mega-yachts as well as other berths for commercial fishing boats and oil spill response vessels are planned for the latter.

Detailed technical and environmental studies will be undertaken before these recommendations are implemented.  If these studies prove the recommendations infeasible and result in changes to the proposed scope of improvements, the Harbors Division will again seek input from the users to validate the modifications.

It is said that 80 percent of everything Hawaii uses is imported and that 98.6 percent of these imported goods are shipped by sea.  This statement underscores the importance of the port system to the State and its visitors and justifies the provision of resources for the maritime industry as it evolves in response to the changing needs of the people.

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