Honolulu Harbor is the hub of shipping for Hawaii, an island chain that thrives on ocean transportation. Most cargo ships in Honolulu Harbor move goods between Hawaii and California ports. Others move between Honolulu Harbor and the United States' East Coast through the Panama Canal. Still others move cargo to and from ports in the western Pacific. Honolulu Harbor is one of the world's most popular tourist destinations. Around-the-world cruises call there every day, and there are even inter-island luxury cruises.

The only incorporated city in Hawaii, Honolulu Harbor rests along the south shores of the island of Oahu. The third largest island in the Hawaiian chain, Oahu contains about 600 square miles (1600 square kilometers). The entire island is under the jurisdiction of the City and County of Honolulu. In 2005, over 377 thousand people lived in Honolulu Harbor, and more than 900 thousand lived in the Honolulu metropolitan area.

No one knows when the original Polynesian peoples first settled Honolulu Harbor, but archeological evidence and oral history suggest that they have lived there since at least the 12th Century. King Kamehameha I conquered the island in the early 1800s, moving his court to Waikiki in 1804 and to today's downtown Honolulu Harbor in 1809.

The first European to discover Hawaii was probably Captain James Cook of England. He landed at Kauai Island (Hawaii's biggest) in 1778 and was killed there on his return visit in 1779. England's Captain William Brown was the first European to enter Honolulu Harbor in 1794. More foreign vessels soon followed, and Honolulu Harbor became the center for cargo and mercantile traffic between Asia and North America.

Contact between the Honolulu Harbor Polynesians and Europeans was intermittent for many years after Cook first landed there. King Kamehameha I used European weapons and technology to consolidate his control over the island group, and Hawaiian kings ruled for almost 90 years. But visits from outsiders steadily became more frequent. By the early 19th Century, American whalers were wintering in Honolulu Harbor.

Captain George Vancouver brought livestock to the islands in 1792, and New England missionaries first arrived in 1920. By the mid-1800s, Europeans and Americans had established settlements in Honolulu Harbor, bringing schools, churches, shops, frame houses, and horse-drawn vehicles to the islands. Soon, their skills and religious convictions had changed forever Hawaii's Polynesian culture.

In 1940, King Kamehameha III laid the foundation for a constitutional government when he announced a Declaration of Rights in 1839 and a written constitution in 1840. Influenced by missionaries, these steps led to recognition of Hawaiian independence from France, Great Britain, and the United States.

But their actions belied their words. In 1876, Kamehameha III signed a reciprocity treaty with the U.S. In 1893, the United States supported an overthrow of the king and the formation of a new republic. By 1900, the US Congress had formally annexed the islands and made it a territory of the United States. Hawaii's last royal ruler, Queen Liliuokalani, died in 1917.

From 1900 to 1940, Honolulu Harbor's population grew quickly as a modern economy based on sugar and pineapples developed. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in Honolulu Harbor on December 7, 1941, the US entered World War II. Military activity dominated the islands during the war, sometimes even impinging on civil liberties. After World War II, economic development of Honolulu Harbor continued, and the islands were declared the 50th US state in 1959.

Statehood brought ever-increasing tourism to the Hawaiian Islands, particularly to Honolulu Harbor. It has become a favorite destination of world travelers and world-class surfers. Luxury resorts continue to rise on the island where travelers find the exotic beauty of the tropics, miles of sun-washed sandy beaches, and endless opportunities for shopping and entertainment.

The port at Honolulu Harbor was born in 1825 when a sunken vessel at the foot of Nuuanu Avenue was used as a wharf. In 1833, the vessel was replaced by a constructed dock. In 1840, efforts began to deepen Honolulu Harbor and fill adjacent tidelands. Community life revolved around Honolulu Harbor. Business, industry, and agriculture all supported the vessels calling at the port.

By 1857, there were five wharves in Honolulu Harbor that could handle 1500-ton ships. They offered 600 feet of berthing space. By 1970, the "Esplanade" had been created by filling in 22 acres of reef and tideland, thus adding 2000 feet of wharf. In 1905, Honolulu Harbor had grown to 3500 feet long, 800 feet wide, and 25-30 feet deep. Its entrance channel was 200 feet wide and 35 feet deep at low tide. In 1907, the US Army Corps of Engineers widened increased capacity in Kapalama Basin to 1200 feet and dredged the Basin and Kapalama Channel to 35 feet. At the same time, Sand Island was filled in and developed. By 1910, the population of Honolulu Harbor had reached over 50,000 people.

By the time Hawaii was admitted for Statehood in the U.S., almost 300 thousand people lived there. Today, islanders pay for their peaceful isolation from the continental US with dependence on ocean shipping. The State imports 80% of its food and goods, and almost all of these imports arrive by sea, much of those through Honolulu Harbor.

Honolulu Harbor offers cargo vessels and commercial interests over 200 acres of container yards, more than 30 berth facilities, and over fine miles of mooring. At 40-feet deep, Honolulu Harbor is made up of five major areas. Often called Fort Armstrong Channel, the 45-foot deep Main Channel is the entry and exit point for the harbor.

In 2005, Honolulu Harbor accommodated over 500 thousand cruise ship passengers and handled $3.3 billion US in imports and over $200 million US in exports. Major cargoes handled through Honolulu Harbor include automobiles, overseas cargos, breakbulk, general cargo, dry and liquid bulk, and petroleum products. Among the most frequent cargoes are general merchandise, scrap metal, lumber, vehicles, sugar, molasses, chemical products, cement, diesel, fuel oil, jet fuel, and gasoline.

Honolulu Harbor's Fort Armstrong offers two piers, each almost 2000 feet long, with 29 acres of yard area and over 280 thousand square feet of covered storage. Containing Foreign Trade Zone No. 9, Honolulu Harbor's Fort Armstrong piers welcome cruise ships, foreign containers, and neo-bulk cargo.

The Aloha Tower Market Place Complex at Honolulu Harbor contains piers 5 through 11, offer more than three thousand feet of pier with drafts of from 15 to 34 feet. These piers receive small passenger vessels and cruise ships. They also contain parking, retail space, and the Harbor's administrative offices.

The Kewalo Basin Annex, containing piers 12 through 18, berth commercial fishing boats, tugboats and pilot boats, and the Harbor Fireboat. They also contain parking and office space, a loading dock, and storage and repair sheds. Piers 36 through 38 house the Domestic Commercial Fishing Village, berthing commercial fishing boats, and scene of fish auctions.

Piers 19 through 29 at Honolulu Harbor offer over six thousand feet of pier, 80% of which has a depth from 30 to 34 feet. Combined yard area for these piers is over 26 acres, and Pier 19 contains almost 88 thousand square feet of shed storage. Honolulu Harbor's Piers 19 through 29 handle tugboats, barges, cruise ships, and general cargo. Pier 23 also handles grain ships, and Pier 29 handles roll-on/roll-off cargo. Pier 19 contains a ferry terminal, and Pier 22 offers water taxis.

Honolulu Harbor's Piers 39 through 42, berthing barges and tugboats, handle breakbulk, container, and roll-on/roll-off cargoes. Pier 41 houses dry-docks and a ship repair facility, and Pier 42 is a dedicated container freight station. With a total 6.5 thousand feet in pier length at from 22 to 30 feet depth, these piers offer almost 27 acres of yard area and almost 166 thousand square feet of shed area.

Piers 51 through 53 at Honolulu Harbor's Sand Island handle primarily domestic containers and automobiles. Pier 51A also handles roll-on/roll-off cargo and petroleum. The Sand Island Piers offer almost four thousand feet of berth with a depth from 37 to 40 feet. They offer 138 acres of yard area and over 100 thousand square feet of shed.

Most American's dream of visiting Hawaii at least once in their life and Honolulu Harbor is the major destination for tourists from all over the world. The City of Honolulu is the island's center for history, art, and culture. Visitors enjoy historic buildings, the only royal palace in the United States, museums, a busy Chinatown, and a downtown alive with shopping, restaurants, art galleries, and an exciting nightlife.

Honolulu Harbor has a warm semi-arid climate with year-round warm weather and lots of sunshine. Even though it is located in the tropics, the climate is heavily influenced by its location in the mid-Pacific Ocean. Temperatures vary little, rarely exceeding 32 °C (89 °F) and rarely going below 20 °C (68 °F). Water temperatures off the coast average 27 °C (82 °F) in the summer and 25 °C (77 °F) in the winter. Most rainfall occurs in the winter from October through March. Honolulu Harbor enjoys sunshine 74% of the days of the year. Temperatures range from an average high of 32 °C (89 °F) in August and September to an average low of 19 °C (66 °F) from January through March.

At the heart of the island's art and culture is downtown Honolulu Harbor. On First Fridays, enjoy a Mardi Gras atmosphere with great dining and live entertainment. On Second Saturdays and Third Thursdays, the art community opens for families and visitors to share their wide range of art experiences. On the last Friday of each month, the Honolulu Academy of Arts hosts ARTafterDARK where well-dressed participants enjoy them events.

Honolulu Harbor is the center of island life, but Oahu offers a wide variety of experiences. Waikiki offers trendy cosmopolitan ambiance, haute and Pacific Rim cuisine, and everything from modern clubs to hula lessons. Visitors can go surfing or hike through waterfalls. Waikiki's famous beach boasts world-class hotels, great shopping, delicious dining, and an exciting nightlife.

Oahu's North Shore is known for its world-class Bonzai Pipeline, notorious for its giant waves breaking in shallow water, with thick curls of water that challenge even the most expert surfer. Bonzai Pipeline's three reefs get progressively deeper and more powerful as you move out to sea. The North Shore is also home to Waimea Bay and Sunset Beach, known for their winter waves and the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Competition .

The windward coast of Oahu offers some of the finest beaches you'll ever find. Less than an hour's drive from Waikiki, you'll find beautiful gardens and valleys, clean white sand, and magical blue waters. This is the perfect spot for lounging, hiking, golfing, horseback riding, and kayaking. The rural leeward and central areas of Oahu contain many tourist attractions. Here you will find the battleships and historic memorial grounds of Pearl Harbor. You can visit the pineapple fields and a huge maze at the Dole Plantation. Aloha Stadium houses the state's biggest flea market. The 43-acre Ko'olina Resort and Marina offer the best of luxury living, with several golf courses and several picturesque lagoons.

You can find a comprehensive list of cruises to and from Honolulu Harbor to help make your travel plans. Once you arrive, you can take inter-island or dinner cruises to enjoy the full range of natural beauty and adventure the Hawaiian island have to offer.