Hawaii Superferry has delayed the scheduled July launch of its first vessel in Hawai'i for at least a month, officials said yesterday.

The new interisland passenger service earlier had said it would start to take reservations this month, with service beginning in July. Now, those dates have been pushed back to early summer for reservations and "later this summer" for service.

Company President and Chief Executive Officer John Garibaldi said the vessel — the Alakai — is still being worked on by Austal, the shipbuilder, before it leaves Mobile, Ala., for Hawai'i.

Garibaldi said the ship must complete a rigorous U.S. Coast Guard certification and inspection process. He said this is the first ship of its kind to be built by Austal.

"The Alakai is a unique, state-of-the-art U.S.-flagged vessel. The Coast Guard, Austal and Hawaii Superferry want to ensure that the vessel, its machinery and equipment, as well as its safety systems and plans, are thoroughly inspected and reviewed," he said.

Spokeswoman Lori Abe said the company declined to be more specific while the inspection process continues. "Unfortunately, we really can't say," she said.

Abe said the company is making progress on other startup plans. "The hiring process is going well" for staff on O'ahu, Kaua'i and Maui, she said. The company expects to hire about 200 employees.

Once the Alakai departs Mobile, it will travel through the Panama Canal, refuel in Los Angeles and head for Hawai'i. Once it leaves Alabama, the journey can be tracked online at www.HawaiiSuperferry.com.

The ferry company plans to offer daily service between Maui and O'ahu, and between Kaua'i and O'ahu six days a week (no Saturday service). A second ferry is scheduled to start service in 2009 between the Big Island and O'ahu as well as a second daily Maui-O'ahu roundtrip.

Earlier, the company announced that one-way tickets purchased on the Web will cost $47 for trips Tuesday to Thursday, and $57 for trips Friday to Monday.

The Hawaii Superferry Web site said base tickets will cost between $52 and $62, and cars will ship for between $59 and $69. There will be extra charges for excess baggage, bicycles, surfboard storage or pet kennels.

In 2004, the company announced its plan to offer interisland service with ferries that cost about $75 million each.

Reach Robbie Dingeman at rdingeman@honoluluadvertiser.com.