/ Source: The Associated Press
Shipping company Pasha Hawaii says it plans to add a second ship to its local fleet.
The company said in a statement Wednesday it has signed a contract with VT Halter Marine is Mississippi for the construction of a $144 million ship for delivery in 2013.
Pasha says the new ship will allow it to provide weekly service between the West Coast and Hawaii. Pasha would need regulatory approval to use the vessel for the interisland shipping service that it just began this week.
The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission last year gave Pasha permission to begin carrying cargo between the islands on a trial basis through 2013.
Until now, Young Brothers had been the only shipping company authorized to carry cargo between the islands.