A Court in Hawaii has ruled that the brand new the 85 million US dollar Hawaii Superferry cannot operate while the state prepares an environmental assessment.
The state waived an environmental assessment in 2005 following a request from the management of Superferry due to fears by the company that their funding would dry up.
However, environment groups sought an injunction last month to halt the ferry service while an assessment was carried out.
One of the groups which took legal action was Maui Tomorrow, and its executive director, Irene Bowie, says the court's decision is a victory for environmentalists.
"We feel confident that justice was served and that it will continue to be served and we will protect the environment of Hawaii which by the way we feel is definitely a part of our economy, our environment is our economy. We are definitely a tourist based state and the environment deserved to be protected."
