Honolulu Harbor

Honolulu Harbor or Kulolia or Ke Awa O Kou is the principal harbor for Honolulu Oahu. It is also the top seaport for the state of Hawaii. Honolulu Harbor is located on Mamala Bay. The county and city of Honolulu was developed from the seaport out in order to make the most of the harbor industries. The harbor is considered the downtown section of Honolulu.

At the harbor is Aloha Tower. It was built in 1926. It is a clock tower that welcomes vessels into the port as the tallest structure in the area. It has been calculated that Honolulu Harbor handles 11 million tons of cargo each year. The shipping industry provides over 80% of Honolulu's required goods.

Honolulu Harbor has always played a role in Hawaiian history since the first Hawaiians. The harbor was full of life as early as the 1100s. The first Europeans to enter the harbor were on the HMS Butterworth in 1794. The ship was captained by William Brown. Honolulu was also listed as the official capital for the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1850 by Kamehameha III. Honolulu Harbor was a port for trans-pacific sales like sandalwood, whaling, and fur.