In its first full month of operation, Hawaii Superferry sailed at only 29 percent of passenger capacity, but the company said it carried more people every week and hopes to keep building on those gains.

In May, 21,882 passengers and 6,003 vehicles traveled on the ferry Alakai between O'ahu and Maui. That averaged out to 249 people and 68 vehicles per voyage on a ship with a capacity of 866 people and 282 vehicles.

The Memorial Day weekend was especially busy, with 5,500 passengers and 1,500 vehicles.

"I don't expect every weekend to look like Memorial Day," said Tom Fargo, Hawaii Superferry CEO and president. "We're new and people are just starting to find out about us from the feedback of others taking this unique opportunity."

Discounted ferry fares and no fuel surcharge are winning over some travelers from the interisland airlines. Several passengers arriving at Honolulu's Pier 19 yesterday said they saved about $20 over one-way airfare.

Summer travel, calmer waters and the promotional one-way fare of $49 a person are increasing ridership, Fargo said. Still, ridership in May is only about 60 percent of projections that the company made before it started operations.

"Our ridership estimates were based upon a full ramp up," Fargo said. "I'm very happy with the rate and that people are adapting to travel on the Alakai."

Fargo hopes that increased interest in the ferry will translate into 30,000 passengers in June.

In addition, he said, several construction companies, Love's Bakery and FedEx have come to rely on the ferry to deliver products and manpower to Maui.

Mike Walters, Love's Bakery president, said shipping his goods to Maui saves his company a lot of money over flying it in. Each morning Love's sends a truck full of fresh products from O'ahu to Maui and the empty truck returns each afternoon.

"It's working out extremely well for us," Walters said. "The Superferry is the wave of the future for us. We're waiting for the second ship next April to start service to Kona and we'll definitely participate in that service."

Waiting in the passenger loading zone with his tools and overnight bag, James Vargas said he just returned from helping a friend finish a painting job on Maui. His friend had too many jobs and not enough time to do it, so the Kailua resident hopped aboard the ferry and went there.

"There's a lot of work out there on Maui," Vargas said. "It was very convenient and reasonable. I'd go back to Maui on the ferry again."

The Alakai makes a daily run between Honolulu and Kahului, Maui, and offers twice-a-day, back-and-forth trips on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

No new voyages are anticipated to Maui or to Kaua'i for the time being, Fargo said. More voyages will be added as ridership increases, he said.

Waiting in the terminal for her sister to arrive from Maui, Alex Mindoro said the fare was what attracted her sister to the Superferry.

"It's about $20 cheaper and she didn't get seasick," Mindoro said. "It's really nice inside, too. She sent me pictures."

Kelvin Okamura of Texas said the fare was so reasonable that it outweighed the speed of air travel.

"You get to see the scenery, but it is long," he said. "And it was cold, but the price is too good to ignore."