The Year of the Pipeline
After twelve years of planning and persistence, NELHA completed the world’s largest deep seawater pipeline, plunging 3,000 feet into the Pacific. The engineering feat earned Hawaiʻi’s Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award and cemented HOST Park’s role as a global leader in ocean science.
Even in the shadow of 9/11’s economic impact, tenants pressed ahead. Big Island Abalone opened a 10-acre farm—the largest outside of China. Moana Technologies broke ground on a shrimp genetics facility. SyAqua and Unlimited Halibut brought new species research to Keāhole. Cyanotech extended its reach into Asia with a new Tokyo office.
Federal support, championed by Senator Daniel K. Inouye, pushed the ambitious Gateway Project forward, with groundbreaking set for the Distributed Energy Resources Center. At the same time, NELHA moved closer to financial independence, reducing reliance on state funds to just 40 percent.
Highlights:
• Completion of 55-inch deep seawater pipeline; received 2002 Hawaiʻi Section Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award.
• Moana Technologies began shrimp broodstock genetics facility.
• Cyanotech launched Japanese business unit in Tokyo.
• Big Island Abalone Corporation opened 10-acre farm, then the largest abalone production facility outside China.
• SyAqua Research LLC introduced shrimp genomics research.
• Unlimited Halibut Corporation proposed halibut and sablefish operations.
• Small Business Compound completed.
• Planning advanced for Gateway Project; Senator Daniel K. Inouye secured federal funding.
• Groundbreaking scheduled for Distributed Energy Resources Center.
• Reliance on State General Funds reduced to 40%.