PEARL HARBOR — State and federal authorities next week will bless a new mobile crane that will allow for the establishment of an alternate port at Pearl Harbor if Honolulu Harbor were ever rendered inoperable.
A signing ceremony and blessing will be held on Monday.
The $3 million crane will allow the military to establish an alternate cargo off-loading point in Pearl Harbor.
More than 80 percent of commodity goods necessary for Hawaii’s population to survive are off-loaded at Honolulu Harbor. Yet there are no physical land barriers to protect the harbor from the effects of hurricanes and other natural disasters.
The state of Hawaii, industry and port partners secured grant funding to buy the mobile crane.
Gov. Neil Abercrombie will be at the ceremony along with Coast Guard, Navy and National Guard commanders.