For Immediate Release: August 4, 2005
DBEDT Release News 05-19

Honolulu--Governor Linda Lingle today dedicated the new expansion wing for office and warehouse space at Foreign Trade Zone No. 9 (Pier 2 at Honolulu Harbor). The new facilities include an additional 12,500 square feet of business incubator offices for import-export start-up companies. This brings the total office space available to companies and agencies involved in international trade and maritime activities to almost 30,000 square feet. In addition, over 5,000 square feet of new temperature-controlled warehouse facilities was added.

"These Foreign Trade Zone improvements offer a 'one-stop' international trade center where an importer or exporter can get a variety of information, access import-export services, and use of facilities," Governor Lingle said. "The upgraded facility will have five of the seven customs brokers in Hawaii, several shipping agents, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents and import specialists, and U.S. Department of Commerce Export Assistance Center all under one roof."

The Hawaii Foreign-Trade Zone program - a federal government initiative - is administered by the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) Foreign-Trade Zone Division. There are 13 sites on the islands of Oahu, Maui and Hawaii that have received FTZ designation.

The FTZ Division markets the FTZ program and provides advice and direction to potential users of these facilities. In addition, the Foreign-Trade Zone Division operates a general purpose zone at Pier 2. Any company that imports and exports merchandise can take advantage of the benefits of the Foreign-Trade Zone program at this incubation-type shared use facility.

The Foreign-Trade Zone site at Pier 2 provides over 500,000 cubic feet of warehouse storage at monthly rates and rental of warehouse handling equipment and labor at hourly rates. Users can also rent warehouse space for merchandise assembly, manipulation, or manufacturing on a daily, monthly, or annual basis

"Historically, the international trade sector in Hawaii's economy has been underdeveloped," said DBEDT Director Theodore E. Liu. "The Administration has been are implementing a trade development strategy to increase the amount of international trade that occurs in Hawaii.

"Our goal is to make FTZ No. 9 a model of efficiency and a growing maritime services hub," said Mark Anderson, deputy director pf DBEDT and head of the Foreign Trade Zone. "This new $3.15 million project will support additional trade, industrial, and technology-based employment in Kakaako."

While at the site, Governor Lingle also received a tour and briefing on the new "Cruise Terminal Project" from officials from the State Department of Transportation.

The cruise terminal project involves renovating the existing Pier 2 shed to create a modern, full-service passenger terminal facility. The cruise terminal will consist of three levels; a ground floor, a mezzanine level and concourse walkway. The finished terminal will occupy a footprint of 158,000 square feet and will accommodate up to 2,500 passengers from a single cruise ship using an elevated concourse and gangway system.

The majority of the terminal improvements will be on the ground floor. They include security improvements, cargo and baggage handling areas, bus staging and passenger loading areas, parking for busses, vendor trucks and employees, restrooms, and other improvements to meet our customers' operational needs. The project also includes all the necessary infrastructure improvements, such as water, sewer, electrical, communications, and fire protection.

For more information, contact:
Dave Young
Communications
Phone: (808) 587-1212
Email: dyoung@dbedt.hawaii.gov