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Posted: Thursday, November 26th, 2009 7:21 AM HST

Proposed harbor fee hike rankles cruise lines

By Associated Press

HONOLULU (AP) — Cruise line operators are up in arms over a proposed hike that would nearly double the state's harbor fees to finance facility improvements. The Hawaii Harbors Division is considering increases that include raising a fee to $20 from $10.55 for each domestic cruise passenger. The hike would finance $618 million in improvements to harbors on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island. John Hansen is president of the North West CruiseShip Association. He says the increases could make Hawaii less attractive to his members. But Harbors Division chief Michael Formby says the new rates would be lower than those charged by West Coast ports. He says the state spent $30 million to improve pier facilities at Honolulu Harbor to accommodate three ships but two cruise lines have since stopped serving the islands. (Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved)