Department of Transportation

HONOLULU – The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation (HDOT) is working to redevelop Pier 7 at Honolulu Harbor which has been vacant and inactive for the last 14 years, after Bishop Museum closed the Hawaiʻi Maritime Center. One of the challenges to redevelopment has been the disposition of the Falls of Clyde—the historic vessel that was gifted to the museum—which remains moored at Pier 7.

In order to facilitate the disposition of the vessel and prepare for the issuance of a new Request for Proposals (RFP) for its removal from the harbor, HDOT has taken on the responsibility of completing the planning and entitlement processes. One of the steps in this process is the delisting of the vessel from the Hawaiʻi Register of Historic Places. This step is not at all a reflection of the vessel’s important history.

HDOT has an obligation to ensure public resources, including commercial harbors and related infrastructure, are being managed effectively. A condition assessment of the vessel conducted in March 2023 revealed that the structural integrity of the Falls of Clyde has deteriorated substantially over the years. The assessment is available here. HDOT currently pays a contractor to regularly monitor water levels and pump water from its hull. Without this intervention, the ship would likely sink, list, or damage surrounding facilities.

We understand that some members of the public will be disappointed by the vessel’s removal from Honolulu Harbor, but we remain open to supporting the ship’s owner, Friends of Falls of Clyde, partnering with an entity that can both remove and preserve the property.

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