AASHTO Journal - Hawaii DOT Contracts for Old Ship Removal, Disposal

The Hawaii Department of Transportation recently awarded a $4.9 million contract to Florida-based Shipwright LLC to remove the vessel “Falls of Clyde” (above) from Honolulu Harbor for final disposal at a deep-water ocean site at least 12 miles due south of that harbor.

[Above photo via Wikipedia]

The 146-year-old “Falls of Clyde” has been docked at Honolulu Harbor since 2008 and is currently berthed at Pier 7, where it once served as a museum ship as part of the Hawaii Maritime Center. The vessel was impounded in 2016 when its permit was revoked and the owner failed to remove it from the harbor. It has remained in the custody of Hawaii DOT ever since.

Starting July 21, the agency said Shipwright will begin debris removal and will restore the watertight integrity of the ship’s subdivision bulkheads. This will be followed by hull strength remediation to prepare the vessel to be safely towed out of the harbor in the event of a storm threat or other emergency. From August through November, additional structural reinforcement work will be performed before the vessel is towed and disposed of in late November.

The agency added that Shipwright will also seek the necessary approvals from the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Coast Guard for this vessel removal and disposal effort.

Hawaii DOT noted in a statement that it has taken measures to address and satisfy other regulatory requirements associated with this action including state and federal laws on historic preservation. In 2024, the agency worked with a maritime archaeologist to catalog and safely remove historical items from the vessel and is storing the artifacts in a secured facility.

Over the past decade, Hawaii DOT has focused on the removal of inoperable vessels from its commercial ports to protect the maritime facilities, improve port efficiency and support commerce, as well as the movement of more than 90 percent of the imported goods that enter the state through Honolulu Harbor.