The Island of Oahu is distinguished by three of the State's nine commercial harbors - Barbers Point, Kewalo Basin and Honolulu Harbor.  Barbers Point Harbor, on the leeward, westerly side of the island, is in the vicinity of the developing city of Kapolei, while Kewalo Basin and Honolulu Harbor are located on the leeward, south shore, in the only well-sheltered area available for commercial purposes.

Honolulu Harbor is the largest and most singularly important of Oahu's and the State's commercial harbors.  Its success as a world-renowned port is responsible for the evolution of an ancient Hawaiian village into the State's capitol city.  This city takes its name from the harbor and together, they support the island's 884,000 residents, the heart of the State's business and commercial operations, and the main tourist center.

The city of Honolulu's central business district and government offices grew around Honolulu Harbor and Kewalo Basin.  This area, from the Ala Moana Shopping Center swinging around to the Sand Island industrial district, is typically dominated by intensive harbor and waterfront activities.  It is characterized by Kewalo Basin's fishing, excursion and dinner cruise vessel facilities, Honolulu Harbor's cargo and passenger terminals, bunkering facilities, marine repair docks, vessel moorings and lay berths, the Aloha Tower Marketplace, the central business district and the Kakaako, Iwilei, Kapalama and Sand Island industrial complexes, A network of highways connects this waterfront area with all of the outlying urban areas.

Honolulu Harbor bears an awesome responsibility as the State's port-of-entry for nearly all imported goods - a figurative umbilical cord sustaining Hawaii's modem life.  The harbor facilities supporting this responsibility are complex and myriad and make it difficult to envision the harbor's simple beginnings.

The harbor was created by freshwater flows from Nuuanu Valley which inhibited coral growth within a small, reefed basin and cut several channels through the surrounding reef. The main channel, which was the deepest, was flanked to the west by shallower outlets.  Between these outflows, rose occasional spots of earth and coral - the beginnings of Sand Island.

Whether the first Hawaiians were from the Marquesas Islands or from Tahiti, it is generally agreed that the first settlers were Polynesian.  While a village of these ancient Hawaiians farmed taro patches at the junction of Nuuanu and Pauoa streams, it seems that Waikiki's oceanfront was much preferred over Nuuanu's.  The Hawaiian shallow-draft outrigger canoes did not require deep-water harbors or completely protected anchorages.  Foreigners, with their deep-draft vessels, found the best use for the port created by Nuuanu Stream.  The influx of these foreign vessels and their trade soon caused a shift of population and the growth of the town around the port where ships lay at anchor.

The first Western use of the harbor occurred in 1794.  At the time, the harbor channel was approximately 200 feet wide, three-quarters of a mile long, and about 30 feet deep.  A small Hawaiian community was observed along the waterfront in today's downtown area, as were fishponds to the west from Nuuanu Stream to Keehi Lagoon.  The Hawaiians referred to the harbor as "Ke Awa 0 Kou" or "the harbor of Kou."  In 1796, the harbor was named "Fair Haven," which was later translated into Hawaiian as "Honolulu."

Honolulu Harbor was discovered when fur traders plied the seas.  The islands were so situated that they were a popular and convenient port-of-call for ships engaged in the Pacific trade.  Hawaii provided a good source of supplies, an ideal place to rest and an excellent winter haven for the fur ships.  Because fur traders called at the port of Honolulu so regularly, the neighboring Hawaiian village grew and changed and Honolulu Harbor began its manifest destiny as the Crossroads of the Pacific.

The harbor owed its continued success to the sandalwood spree which closely succeeded the fur trade.  As mountainsides were stripped of sandalwood trees and the exquisite wood shipped to China at outrageous prices, Island kings and chiefs reaped great wealth.  Honolulu Harbor's importance increased with this flourishing trade, and the neighborhood surrounding the harbor became its principal trading center.

In 1819, two whaling vessels joined the other vessels in Honolulu Harbor.  These presaged forty exciting and progressive years of the whaling industry, during which many whaling ships called at Honolulu Harbor.  It was only natural that the foreign population was heaviest around the port of Honolulu, where whaling vessels stopped to repair and refit their ships, buy beef, Hawaii-grown Irish potatoes, and other supplies.

Although in 1820, the neighboring village was only an irregular cluster of grass houses, close to the harbor, with perhaps three or four stores and a half dozen buildings of wood or stone in the European style, the little seaport town was taking shape.  The entire population at the time numbered between 3,000 and 4,000.

By 1825, the neighboring village's population had already grown to approximately 6,000. This is the year that Honolulu Harbor's first wharf was "developed."  This wharf was simply a sunken vessel, floated into place near the foot of Nuuanu Avenue, providing a crude docking structure for Hawaii's growing maritime commerce.  It remained the harbor's sole "terminal facility" for eight years.  In 1827, a wharf and shipyard was begun in the vicinity of the fort.  In 1833, the sunken vessel was replaced by a more substantial dock.

In 1840, efforts were started to deepen the harbor and fill in the surrounding tidelands.  From this time forward, harbor improvements became the standard response to the progressive demands of Hawaii's constantly growing shipping industry.

As modifications to Honolulu Harbor encouraged the growth of maritime commerce, changes in the neighboring village began to intensify.  By 1840, the population grew to 9,000, including some 600 foreign residents.  While there were great improvements in the grass houses, the village was being taken over by more substantial buildings of wood, stone or adobe.  Streets were widened and straightened, houses and stores built, and public works projects initiated.

All community life centered around the harbor.  Everything - business, industry, agriculture - was geared to the needs of the vessels calling in port.  Stores materialized to furnish these ships with their staples: flour, sugar, crackers, fresh produce and salt.  Other shops provided rope, paint, lumber, canvas and nails.  Tradesmen were kept busy with ship repairs.  In time, the neighboring village inherited the harbor's name and the town of Honolulu came into being.

In February 1848, a breakwater wall was constructed from the foot of Maunakea Street, going out 940 feet west-southwest, to contain the silt from Nuuanu Stream.  While the breakwater was successful in containing the silt, it also cut off harbor development in the area for a number of years.

The 1848 discovery of gold in California started another flurry of activity in Honolulu Harbor.  Departing ships were filled first by an exodus of would-be miners, then by goods and food suited to the California Gold Rush.

Winter reversed the flow of commerce.  Miners flocked to Hawaii to escape the rigors of the season.  Prices of certain goods escalated to astronomical heights.  Because the harbor generated such commercial activity and caused tremendous growth in the surrounding neighborhood, Kamehameha III declared Honolulu to be a city and the capital of his kingdom on August 31, 1850.

The earliest ships were towed to their moorings in Honolulu Harbor by crewmen in oared whaleboats.  As the whaling era progressed and the port prospered, a force of hefty natives offered to wade out to catch the ships' lines and pull the ships into their moorings.  It was considered progress when a string of oxen replaced this manpower.  In 1854, the steam tug Pele easily assumed the task which had grown too great for the oxen. Honolulu's population that year was estimated to have grown to 11,000.

By 1857, Honolulu Harbor possessed five wharves capable of handling ships of 1,500 gross tons, with a total berthing frontage of 600 feet.  Between 1857 and 1870, twenty-two acres of reef and tideland between Fort and Alakea Streets were filled in from harbor dredging to form "The Esplanade."  The project cost $239,000 and provided an additional 2,000 feet of wharfage.

The discovery of petroleum in 1859 was almost a death blow to the whaling industry.  The outbreak of the Civil War caused even further withdrawal of many whalers.  Fortunately, the "War Between the States" over-compensated for the loss of whalers by providing an impetus for one of Hawaii's most dynamic agricultural industries - sugar.  Hawaiian sugar became a profitable export when the southern states' supply was cut off and prices rose.  Hawaii's sugar exports multiplied many times during the course of this war.

The frenzied activity in Honolulu Harbor and along the waterfront included important physical improvements among the many sugar ship sailings.  The harbor light was built in 1868 and lit for the first time on August 8, 1869. By 1874, a long harbor seawall was in place, lined with wharves and warehouses.  The harbor had been deepened by dredging and the dredged material deposited on the shallow off-shore reef to begin the reclamation of land now known as Sand Island.  Initially known as Quarantine Island and used to isolate ships with cases of contagious diseases on-board, Sand Island now houses the State's major container terminals.

Honolulu Harbor's ability to service increasing numbers of larger ships resulted in incredible commercial activity.  This bolstered the importance of the port's city.  Honolulu grew into a metropolis with one-fourth of Hawaii's population and one-half of the foreigners.  In 1875, it was the home of 15,000 people, the seat of government, the center of commerce, and the repository of intellectual and religious activity.

A commercial reciprocity treaty with the United States was negotiated to allow Hawaiian sugar into American markets duty-free.  The signing of this treaty in 1876 prompted another spurt of economic and harbor activity.  Existing sugar plantations went into maximum production while new sugar companies blossomed.  Hawaii's government increased their inventory of wharves to fifteen by 1892. That same year, $200,000 was appropriated for dredging the harbor to a depth of 30 feet and creation of a 200-foot wide entrance channel.  The Oahu Railway & Land Company also erected a coaling station in 1892, another wharf in 1895, Piers 17 and 18 in 1901, and Piers 19 and 20 by 1916.  Some of this infrastructure was in response to the needs of the other major agricultural industry that had established itself and had begun to experience success - pineapple.

On August 12, 1898, Honolulu Harbor became an American Port when Hawaii was annexed to the United States.

By 1900, the eastern portion of the harbor was considered fully developed with short wharves and piers and a 200-by- 120-foot Channel Wharf (Pier 2) with a full-length, 80-foot wide storage shed.  Private interests had developed the western half of the harbor for their operations and the lands that lay between both ends of the harbor were also being brought into use.

Around this time, the schooner Santa Paula pioneered the oil trade to Hawaii.  Along the major sea lanes, steam had replaced sail, and oil was displacing coal as a steam-producing fuel.  Facilities for loading and discharging oil were required and provided.  Realizing the economic potential more and more people flocked to Honolulu, and its population swelled to 39,306 in 1900.

In 1905, Honolulu Harbor was 3,000-3,500 feet long, 800 feet wide, 25-30 feet deep, with an entrance channel 200 feet wide and 35 feet deep at low tide.  In 1907, the Corps of Engineers widened Kapalama Basin to 1,200 feet, increasing its capacity by 50%, lengthened Kapalama Channel to 400 feet, and dredged both Kapalama Basin and Kapalama Channel to 35 feet.  Concurrent with these improvements was the filling and development of Quarantine (Sand) Island.  The population in the city of Honolulu also increased and reached 52,193 in 1910.

By 1911, a shed and marine railway were in place at Pier 3 and the front of what is now Piers 18,19 and 20 had been developed for berthing with the addition of three small sheds.

In 1912, the first wharf in Honolulu Harbor using reinforced concrete piles and a concrete deck was constructed at Pier 1.

World War 1 (1914-1918) seriously disrupted the flow of maritime commerce.  Nearly all the steamers on the Hawaii-west coast line were conscripted into service on the Atlantic Ocean.  Tourist traffic almost ceased. Food shortages raised the cost of living.  As Hawaii's dependency on ocean shipping was realized, the commitment to harbor improvements intensified.

Piers 26 and 27 were built in 1917 for use as bunkering stations.  By 1918, Piers 24, 25 and 26 were constructed and used by inter-island and overseas shipping operations.  Their sheds were built later.

In 1919, Kapalama Channel was enlarged to a width of 800 feet, a length of 1,000 feet and a depth of 35 feet. Beginning that year and continuing through 1928, the passenger terminals at Piers 8, 9, 10/11 were rebuilt.

Honolulu's population followed suit and grew to 127,000 in 1920.

Kewalo Basin, a harbor of approximately 55 acres including ocean acreage, was first constructed in the 1920s to ease the congestion in Honolulu Harbor and provide docking for lumber schooners.  By the time the concrete wharf was finished in 1926, lumber schooners had begun to fade out and commercial fishing 1929 operations moved into Kewalo Basin.

Construction of Aloha Tower, the landmark of Honolulu's waterfront, began in 1921 and was completed in 1926.  In Honolulu Harbor, Pier 11 was reconstructed the following year, 1927.

In 1928, to accommodate tanker operations, two 73-foot long concrete aprons separated by an 84 foot space were constructed at Pier 30.  The space was filled solid in 1951.

Half of the bulkhead along the mauka side of Kewalo Basin was built in 1928.  Honolulu Harbor's Pier 4 reconstruction was completed by 1929.  As the pineapple industry continued to develop and dedicated facilities were needed for inter-island shipments of fresh pineapples, Pier 35 was constructed in 1929 and Pier 36 in 1931.

Piers 13 and 14 were reconstructed in 1931.  The remainder of Kewalo Basin's mauka bulkhead was constructed in 1934.  In 1935, Honolulu Harbor's entrance channel was expanded to a width of 500 feet with a depth of 40 feet, and the turning basin widened from 1,200 to 1,520 feet.  Piers 27, 28, 29, 31, 31 A and 32 were constructed in 1938.

Hawaii was reminded of its dependence on ocean shipping when a 1938 dock strike interrupted the normal line of supply.  Once the strike was resolved, improvements to shipping's infrastructure, the commercial harbor, continued at a steady pace, as did the city's population - 154,000 in 1939; 179,358 in 1940; and 200,00 in 1941.  Unfortunately, as Hawaii continues to modernize, its dependence on ocean shipping only increases.  The State remains vulnerable to any disruption in maritime commerce.

Pier 29 was further improved in 1941 with the addition of a shed.  Material dredged from Keehi Lagoon's seaplane channel was utilized to expand Sand Island to its current 513+ acres between 1940 and 1945.  A dirt causeway connecting Sand Island with the Kapalama mainland was constructed in 1943.

Just prior to the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor, the outer Kapalama Basin was begun.  Completed in 1943, this project greatly improved the harbor's capacity. Also completed in 1943, Piers 39 and 40 were constructed as concrete sheet pile bulkhead wharves, with a portion of the apron on piles.  In 1944,Piers 51-53 were constructed as a 4,000-foot marginal wharf on the harbor side of Sand Island.  During the war, dredging widened the First 1,000 feet of Kapalama Channel to 1,000 feet, and the remaining (Ewa) section of 2,400 feet to 600 feet with a controlling depth of 35 feet.  The Kapalama turning basin was also dredged to a depth of 35 feet and grew to 1,000 feet wide by 3,400 feet long. Kewalo Basin was similarly dredged and expanded.

In the final years of the war, the dredge repair basin and support facilities were constructed along the mauka shoreline of Sand Island.  Pier 3lA was extended in 1948.  During the post-war boom, Honolulu's population climbed to 248,000 and $46.7 million of construction projects were started in 1950.

An oil pipeline system connecting all government piers to the oil companies and Hawaiian Electric Company's Honolulu power station was renewed in 1950.  Kewalo Basin's Waikiki bulkhead was constructed in 1951.  In 1952, Piers 21, 22 and 23 were reconstructed for tug maintenance and bulk grain shipments in Honolulu Harbor.  A steel-frame, aluminum siding shed was built on Pier 21.

In 1954, Pier 38 was constructed to provide a direct loading area for refined petroleum products, a slip 1,000 feet long and 35 feet deep was dredged at Pier 39, and the berth at Pier 34 was reconstructed to accommodate oil tankers and bulk cement shipments.  Kewalo Basin's fishing gear shed and paving on the Waikiki side of the mooring basin were also completed in 1954.  In 1955, approximately eight acres of filled land was deposited along the makai side of Kewalo Basin to form a peninsula protected by rock revetment.

Maritime commerce continued to grow by leaps and bounds.  It was apparent that a large terminal was necessary to meet the demands of post-war shipping.  Beginning with land-acquisition proceedings in 1947, moving into the redecking of the concrete wharf, reconstruction of Pier 2, and construction of the general cargo shed, the project ended with the christening of the deluxe "Diamond Head Terminal" on May 22, 1955.

Bulk sugar handling facilities were constructed in the back of berths 18, 19 and 20 in 1955.  Kewalo Basin's wooden herringbone pier was also constructed about this time.  In 1956, Honolulu Harbor's Pier 15 was rebuilt and refrigerated fish storage facilities added, while Pier 23 was dredged and developed for bulk storage of feeds.  The federal government announced plans to return most of Fort Armstrong and Sand Island to the Territory of Hawaii.

With the amount of commerce shipped through Honolulu Harbor from 1845 to 1959, the city's economy grew significantly.  Sugar, pineapple and diversified farming flourished.  The tourist trade enjoyed an even more impressive increase.  Many diversified industries developed (construction, oil refinery, steel mill, cement plant, garment industry, furniture, etc.) and the military poured money and personnel into Oahu's military bases to establish a strong presence in the islands.

Port facilities were continuously improved and expanded to meet the needs of the commercial shipping industry.  The HC&D Company wharf in Keehi Lagoon was built on State land in 1959 for inter-island barge shipping of aggregates.  In Kapalama Basin, the Hawaiian Dredging and Construction Company and the Kapalama Shipyards facilities consisted of piers, a floating dry-dock, a repair shop, open storage areas and the marine railway.

With the advent of Statehood on August 21, 1959, Hawaii's economy changed and continued to grow. Buoyed by the additional capabilities of the harbor, the city's population breached 294,000 and construction topped $164 million in 1960.

Container handling facilities at Pier 2 commenced that year and were continually expanded into the Pier 1, Fort Armstrong area to create additional container yard facilities.

A 9-acre barge harbor was constructed on Campbell Estate lands at Barbers Point in 1961.  This small harbor enabled neighboring industries to ship their products by barge to the other islands.  Because of its size and surge problems, however, the harbor realized only limited barge use and was more popular for recreational fishing.  Government efforts would later transform this barge harbor into the Barbers Point Deep Draft Harbor.

In 1962, the Corps of Engineers completed dredging a second entrance channel to Honolulu Harbor through Keehi Lagoon, including the removal of the causeway and construction of a two-lane bascule bridge to serve Sand Island.

While Pier 2 container facilities were being expanded even further into Pier 1, Governor Bums dedicated the Look Laboratory of Oceanographic Engineering at Kewalo Basin on July 28, 1964.

In 1965, construction of another container freight station at Fort Armstrong was completed, the parking area at Piers 5 and 6 paved, and Piers 8, 9, and 10 remodeled with the construction of a second passenger arrival deck, office area, upper deck driveway, two customs buildings, a bridge, and 70,000 square feet of additional cargo area. Cargo carriers brought in the materials and equipment for $219.3 million of new construction projects throughout the island.

In 1966, a 175-foot rock jetty and an additional 7 acres of pavement were constructed at Pier 1, and Foreign Trade Zone No, 9 opened for business at Pier 39.

To accommodate another container shipping service and to provide more expeditious handling of cargo, a commercial ship facility on Sand Island was completed and activated in 1967, and proceedings to acquire 85.56 acres of privately-owned harbor land from the Dillingham Corporation were initiated.

Pier 7's sheet pile bulkhead was constructed in 1968, as was an extension to Kewalo Basin's wharf.

In 1969, the second container shipping operation began service to Hawaii, Container Freight Station No. 2 was extended, Pier 2's parking area paved, Pier 35's back-up area graded and paved, and the Sand Island Wharf demolished, dredged and reconstructed to accommodate container vessels.  In Kewalo Basin, the concrete herringbone pier and larger concrete catwalks were constructed along the Ala Moana Boulevard face and along the seaward face of Kewalo.

At Piers 5 and 6 in Honolulu Harbor, construction of a paved parking lot, rock bulkhead and revetment, cement rubble masonry wall, concrete anchor blocks and dolphins, installation of water, sewer, drainage, telephone, lighting and power systems was accomplished in 1970.  Another concrete-decked catwalk was installed in Kewalo Basin.  Recent harbor developments encouraged the city's population growth to 324,871 and island construction was valued at $386.7 million.

In 1971, about 20 berths in Honolulu Harbor were dredged to restore their required depths.  Some maintenance dredging was also completed to ensure a 40-foot depth in the Fort Armstrong channel and a 35-foot depth in the two turning basins, Kalihi and Kapalama channels.

In 1972, while repairs to Kewalo Basin's rockwall, jetty and aku catwalks were being completed, Fort Armstrong's container yard was improved and expanded by another 6,000 yards, Pier 34 was reconstructed, Piers 22 and 23 upgraded with new dolphins, bulkhead and pavement, the final phase of Harbors Division's Baseyard facilities completed, Sand Island Wharf extended from 680 to 1,236 feet and 6,800 square yards of additional container storage area paved.  The first section of the Energy Corridor, a State-controlled right-of-way for transporting oil through pipelines from the new Barbers Point Industrial Complex to Honolulu Harbor, was ushered into service.

In 1973, 13 additional acres at Pier 5 IC (Sand Island Wharf) were cleared, graded and fenced, a new entrance to Piers 31-33 constructed, and renovations to Pier I I offices, Piers 20 and 24-26 sheds completed.

In 1974, U.S. Lines shifted its container operations from Pier 39 to Sand Island, while Matson began operating from both the Diamond Head Terminal at Pier 2 and the Sand Island container facility.  Two mooring dolphins were constructed at Pier 7, Piers 24-25's fenders were replaced, and Kewalo Basin's Herringbone Pier renovated.

Pier 8's jetfoil inter-island ferry facilities were completed, Piers 24-28 storage area improved, and Pier 20's shed modified in 1975.  By this time, 344,000 people resided in Honolulu and the estimated value of construction that year reached $495.8 million.

In 1976, Pier 51B was extended by 120 feet, Pier 35's fender system replaced, Fort Armstrong's pavement rehabilitated, and Pier 20 improved with the construction of new pavement.

A commercial fishing area known as the Kewalo Basin Annex was established at the newly constructed Piers 17 and 18 in Honolulu Harbor, additional finger piers at Pier 21 provided, Piers 31-33 refaced, and the Piers 22-23 bulkhead repaired in 1977-1978.  At Kewalo Basin, catwalk II 9-120 and the marginal wharf's fender system were replaced.

In 1980-81, Honolulu Harbor's depth was increased by five feet through dredging, and container handling facilities were constructed to consolidate Matson Navigation and U.S. Lines freight operations on Sand Island. These included a paved, 35-acre container storage area, lighting and underground utilities, a 60-foot wide by 1,400-foot long concrete wharf with berths for two container ships and a container freight station.  These improvements paved the way for the city's population growth to 365,000 and $745.6 million worth of additional construction projects.

While planning for Oahu's second deep-draft harbor at Barbers Point began in 1958, the joint Federal-State dredging project did not begin until 1982.  When the project was completed, the Corps of Engineers turned control of the harbor over to the State on May 2, 1986.  It consisted of a total 387 acres with an entrance channel (450 feet wide, 4,280 feet long, and 42 feet deep), a harbor basin (I 14 acres, with a depth of 38 feet), and a 4,700-foot wave and energy absorber along the northern and western periphery of the main basin. Located 19 nautical miles west of Honolulu Harbor near the Southwestern tip of the island, Barbers Point Harbor serves to alleviate some of the strain placed on Honolulu Harbor by its growing cargo activities.

In July 1986, Marisco moored a 516-foot dry-dock in Barbers Point Harbor.  It was first located in the northeast comer but later moved to its present location adjacent to the Southwestern edge of the main basin, mauka of the barge harbor, to allow the construction of Piers P-5 and P-6.

Also in 1986, Honolulu Harbor's 377-foot Pier 16 and 265-foot Pier 37 were constructed as berthing for transient fishing vessels, and the Sand Island container handling complex was expanded by an additional 14 acres. New 40- and 50-foot concrete catwalks and aku boat catwalks were constructed to replace Kewalo Basin's herringbone pier and other structures.

Major projects completed in Honolulu Harbor in 1988 included the maintenance dredging of the berthing area at Piers 8-1 1, repairing of the concrete substructure at Pier 26, partial demolition and modification of the Pier 24-26 shed, repairing of the roof of the passenger terminal building at Piers 8-1 1, reconstructing the fender system at Piers 13-14, and repairing of the fender system at Piers 34 and 36.  The Hawaii Maritime Museum was established at Pier 7 the same year.  At Kewalo Basin, the building housing the offices of the charter boat operators was renovated and the surrounding area landscaped.

Barbers Point Harbor officially opened on May 31, 1990, with the completion of a 1,600-foot pier and 30-acre cargo handling yard.  In conjunction with the construction of the new pier, a total of 16 petroleum product pipelines were installed.  These lines may be used for bunkering as well as the handling of petroleum products.

In 1990-1991, Honolulu Harbor's Pier 18 was reconstructed with concrete, and bulk off-loading operations were established at Barbers Point Harbor to transfer coal from the ships to a coal generation plant in Campbell Industrial Park.

In 1992, maritime commerce continued to enjoy enormous gains in activity, spurring the economy and promoting the city of Honolulu's ranking in Smith and Englanders "The Best Place to Live in America" to 7th out of 300.  The city's population grew to 377,000 as construction projects that year approached $1.2 billion.

In 1993, the Sand Island container yard was expanded by 15 acres, and a pier and parking area for ferry and service vessels were constructed at Barbers Point Harbor.

In 1994, the Aloha Tower Marketplace opened, making Honolulu the only harbor in the nation to combine a visitor attraction, retail and restaurant outlets, and working commercial harbor facilities at a single location.

In 1995, Pier 53 was dredged and extended by 330 feet, its container yard expanded by 10 acres, and the open areas of segmented Pier 34 were filled to provide a continuous 540-foot pier.

Pier 39 received a new shed, strengthened pier aprons, a new container yard and a new roll-on roll-off pier, and Barbers Point Harbor received a four-acre expansion of the cargo handling yard, a new 36,000-square-foot cargo shed and concrete pavement around the shed in 1996.

Efforts continue to build a new shed at Pier 40, strengthen its aprons, improve storage and cargo handling yards, extend Pier 51 by about 681 feet and improve its cargo yard, construct a harbor entrance at the intersection of Auiki and Libby streets, and improve the Waiakamilo-Nimitz Highway entrance.  Barbers Point Harbor is being improved with a 6OO-by-1,100-footexpansion area, a300 foot extension of P-5, and construction of a dedicated fuel dock.

Today, 70 percent of the State's maritime cargo activity is attributed to Oahu's commercial harbors.  Honolulu Harbor not only continues to function as the hub of Port Hawaii, receiving, consolidating and distributing practically all overseas cargo shipments, but finds itself catering to passenger and fishing operations and distraught with countless requests for additional accommodations.

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 next millennium, 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.

Surrounding and nurturing us, the sea serves not only as a source of food, fun and employment, but as our principal highway.  In our island State, it is as important to develop a harbor as it is to build a road in continental U.S.A.  As the city looks to the harbor for its cherished influx of trade and essential commodities, the port in turn asks for the city's support in satisfying the needs of the commercial cargo, passenger and fishing industries.

THE NUUANU STREAM THROUGHOUT HISTORY

• 1819

• 1825

• 1890

• 1920

• 1941

• 1947

• 1961
  
  

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