Hawaii Breaks Ground for New Kapalama Container Terminal

The US state of Hawaii started the construction of the Kapalama Container Terminal, the largest capital improvement project in the history of the state’s commercial harbor system, on January 16.

The Kapalama Container Terminal project will be constructed in two phases over a four-year period with an estimated project cost of USD 448 million. The works are expected to be finalized in 2022.

The new terminal, covering Piers 41, 42, and 43 in Honolulu Harbor, features an 84-acre cargo yard and 1,800 linear feet of new berthing space

“I’m proud to say the construction of the Kapalama Container Terminal Project is underway, and in four years we’ll have a new state-of-the-art cargo facility that will allow us to consolidate cargo operations, enhance operational efficiencies and improve cargo handling capacity,” David Ige, Governor of Hawaii, said.

More than 80 percent of all goods consumed by Hawaii are imported to the islands, and of that, more than 98.6 percent flows through the Port Hawaii commercial harbor system.

The Harbor Modernization Plan initiative identified key improvements designed to expand harbor capacity, address advancements in containerized cargo handling, alleviate congestion issues and the lack of available operational space, and develop more adaptable and resilient port facilities.