So there might be a niche market there? Maybe financing could be found with a more enlightened source today vs 30 years ago.... it wasn't economical for Tropical Shipping to stop at all the islands with one or two 20 foot containers. They were overjoyed to pass the work off to me and my small fleet of as yet unpurchased, but sourced, sailing freighters....
....The problem arose when I began seeking financing,
These days Tropical (as well as other companies) run dozens of 40 footers to almost every island each week.So there might be a niche market there? Maybe financing could be found with a more enlightened source today vs 30 years ago.
One of the reasons for the high cost of goods here in Hawaii is the Jones Act. It requires that everything shipped to HI must come from a mainland port on an American ship. Much of what we get here sails right by us going from Asia to the mainland, and then back here, at a very high cost.They pretty much offered me carte blanche (millions of dollars), the only caveat being I must employ all American union crew. At that time I could employ a West Indian to chip and paint (a deckhand) for around us$80.00 a month, whereas an American was a lot closer to us$1200.00, never mind officers etc.
The Hawaiian Islands run east to west for the most part, so it would only be a one-way trip under sail.Interesting concept. It might work here in the Hawaiian Islands. Lots of wind available, especially the downwind run from the Big Island to Oahu. It would fit in with the state's goal of going to alternative energy as much as possible. And it sure would be cool to watch a clipper sail by while I am having my coffee, instead of the usual tug and barge.
Not exactly, but close. Jones Act requires that things shipped between US ports must be US-flagged, US-build bottoms, US-crewed, US-safety inspected, etc. Shipping stuff from San Diego to HI requires Jones Act shipping. Shipping from Shanghai to you doesn't. The reason Chinese made stuff goes right past you is economics of scale, not law. They could stop one of those COSCO 16,000 TEU container boats in Honolulu, and offload fifty containers for local use, and the import port would just be Honolulu. It's just economically difficult to justify the stop.One of the reasons for the high cost of goods here in Hawaii is the Jones Act. It requires that everything shipped to HI must come from a mainland port on an American ship. Much of what we get here sails right by us going from Asia to the mainland, and then back here, at a very high cost.
A big part of that is the "Paradise Tax". When I lived there and they still grew pineapples and sugar we paid more for the pineapples, sugar and even macadamia nuts than mainlanders did. For a long time after I moved to the mainland my mom would send me macadamia nuts at Christmas paying more for them than I would around the corner at the local grocery store. People are accustom to paying more fore everything so they do not question paying more for everythingOne of the reasons for the high cost of goods here in Hawaii is the Jones Act. It requires that everything shipped to HI must come from a mainland port on an American ship. Much of what we get here sails right by us going from Asia to the mainland, and then back here, at a very high cost.