Jay Ana,

President
Via Electronic Mail

May 26, 2020

The Honorable Chair and Members of the

Hawaii Public Utilities Commission
465 South King Street
Kekuanao`a Building, Room 103
Honolulu, HI 96813
Attention: Caroline Ishida, Esq.

Re: Notice Regarding Young Brothers, LLC’s (“Young Brothers” or the “Company”)
Liquidity Crisis and Potential Suspension of Operations.

Dear Commissioners and Commission Staff:

We are writing today to provide an update on the financial challenges we are facing at
Young Brothers. Attached to this letter you will find a detailed overview of our finances.

As we have been reporting to you, the COVID-19 pandemic is challenging our business
daily, and Young Brothers’ financial situation is extremely dire. I expect that, unless immediate
relief is obtained from the State of Hawaii (“State”) (e.g., CARES Act funding), Young Brothers
will face a cash shortfall very shortly. In sum, we are in this situation due to, among other
things, the following:

 Drop In Revenue Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. As detailed in my letter to the

Commission on May 5, 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused cargo volumes
and associated revenues to drop precipitously, while the Company’s costs remain
largely fixed. Young Brothers has lost nearly $8 million through the month of April
and we’re projected to lose approximately $25 million this year – and the numbers
seem to get worse every week.

 Cost Containment Alone Is Not Enough. As you are aware, we have moved quickly
to reduce our operating costs. Specifically, we expect to save approximately $7
million over the remainder of 2020 from sailing schedule changes, a reduction in our
tug workforce, and other G&A cost containment efforts. However, no amount of
cost-cutting can make us viable in the short-run.

Our parent company has covered more than $21 million in losses from 2018 and 2019,
and faced with the magnified losses described above, I was recently informed that additional
infusions of cash will not be available after May 31, 2020. Young Brothers expects that, absent
immediate relief from the State, it will soon be unable to pay its expenses or continue operations.

In that regard, we will submit to the Commission on Friday, May 29, 2020, additional
information about our business plan to continue operations after May 31, 2020. I can assure you
that Young Brothers will sail on schedule on June 1, 2020. The business plan will lay out our

Young Brothers, LLC • 1331 North Nimitz Highway, Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96817 • (808) 543-9311 • youngbrothershawaii.com
Page 2
financial strategy to continue operating under the following scenarios: (1) immediate receipt of
significant CARES funds; (2) delayed receipt of CARES funds; and (3) no CARES funds
available.

It is also our intention to file on or about Friday, May 29, 2020, a tariff transmittal
requesting approval to suspend LCL/mix (Less than Container Load) with the exception of
Molokai/Lanai and livestock. Unfortunately, in order to achieve immediate and significant cost
savings, Young Brothers must suspend a very labor intensive part of our business – shipping
goods that do not fill a container. The vast majority of our customers who utilize this service
have alternatives in freight forwarders and consolidators. We identified Molokai and Lanai as
two communities for which we will continue LCL/mix service. We also will provide shipments
of livestock as we understand that this commodity would have no alternative other than Young
Brothers.

Following the filing of the above-described tariff transmittal, we will be filing two
additional requests with the Commission: (1) a request for cost deferral accounting for COVID-
19 pandemic related costs and lost revenues; and (2) a request for emergency/temporary rate
relief. The business plan will show the Commission how all these requests play an integral part
of Young Brothers’ ability to provide water transportation services. I would also like to report
that there have been no major problems associated with the reduced sailing schedule, and we also
intend to request to extend this temporary sailing schedule further in light of situation (e.g.,
decline of cargo volumes).

I and my colleagues would be heartbroken if Young Brothers were forced to stop

operating. Young Brothers has been serving Hawaii since 1900 and we employ approximately
370 residents spread across all major islands of the State. We’re the only water carrier that ships
goods to Molokai and Lanai, and we know our kama‘aina there depend on us for essential foods
and products, ranging from fuel and vehicles to toilet paper and meats. We want to keep going
and we’re confident we can weather this crisis, but we can only do it with help and support from
the State and the Commission.

Thank you in advance for your time, attention, and support as we address this
unprecedented crisis. If you have any questions or would like to discuss the above, please
contact me anytime.

Sincerely,

Jay Ana
President, Young Brothers, LLC

cc: The Honorable David Ige, Governor of the State of Hawaii

The Honorable Ron Kouchi, President of the Hawaii State Senate
The Honorable Scott Saiki, Speaker of the Hawaii State House of Representatives
Senator Lorraine Inouye, Chair Senate Committee on Transportation
Representative Henry Aquino, Chair, House Committee on Transportation
Senator Rosalyn Baker, Chair, Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health
Representative Roy Takumi, Chair, Consumer Protection & Commerce
Senator Donavan Dela Cruz, Chair, Senate Committee on Ways and Means
Representative Sylvia Luke, Chair, House Committee on Finance
Page 2
The Honorable Derek Kawakami, Mayor, County of Kauai
The Honorable Harry Kim, Mayor, County of Hawaii
The Honorable Kirk Caldwell, Mayor, City and County of Honolulu
The Honorable Michael Victorino, Mayor, County of Maui
Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Ms. Catherine Awakuni Colon
Division of Consumer Advocacy, Mr. Dean Nishina
Department of Transportation, Mr. Jade Butay/Mr. Derek Chow
Young Brothers, LLC
Financial Overview
A B C D E
 April YTD   Fav / (UnFav)  Non‐COVID‐19   Fav / (UnFav)  COVID‐19   Fav / (UnFav)
Revenue  2020 Budget   May 26 Forecast 
Actuals Impact  vs. Budget  Forecast Impact  vs. Budget  Forecast Impact  vs. Budget 
Intrastate General Freight  $       76,094,011 $        (3,173,356) (4.2%) $           (514,602) (0.7%) $        (9,525,268) (12.5%) $       62,880,785
Interstate General Freight  $       34,404,178 $        (1,338,682) (3.9%) $           (203,638) (0.6%) $        (2,939,553) (8.5%) $       29,922,305
Charter Revenue $         3,399,970 $           (623,047) (18.3%) $                     ‐ 0.0%  $        (2,222,270) (65.4%) $             554,653
Other Revenue $         6,533,452 $             461,697 7.1%  $             (18,632) (0.3%) $           (744,410) (11.4%) $         6,232,107
Total Revenue  $     120,431,611 $        (4,673,388) (3.9%) $           (736,872) (0.6%) $     (15,431,500) (12.8%) $       99,589,850

Operating Expense
Cargo Handling $       57,755,594 $           (383,451) 0.7%  $             554,367 (1.0%) $        (4,345,753) 7.5%  $       53,580,757
Voyage  $       31,857,618 $           (202,890) 0.6%  $                     ‐ 0.0%  $        (1,537,416) 4.8%  $       30,117,312
Maintenance $       16,126,624 $           (654,760) 4.1%  $           (105,648) 0.7%  $           (568,299) 3.5%  $       14,797,917
Total Operating Expense $     105,739,836 $        (1,241,101) 1.2%  $            448,719 (0.4%) $        (6,451,467) 6.1%  $       98,495,986

Contribution Margin  $       14,691,774 $        (3,432,287) (23.4%) $        (1,185,590) (8.1%) $        (8,980,033) (61.1%) $         1,093,864

Contribution Margin % 12.2% 1.1%

G&A Expense $       19,973,013 $        (1,081,065) 5.4%  $             (19,093) 0.1%  $           (503,736) 2.5%  $       18,369,118

Non‐Op Income (Expense) $               46,560 $            367,155 (788.6%) $           (200,000) 429.6%  $            321,717 (691.0%) $            535,432

EBITDA $        (5,327,799) $        (2,718,376) (51.0%) $           (966,497) (18.1%) $        (8,798,014) (165.1%) $     (17,810,686)

Depreciation & Amortization $         7,005,725 $            842,734 (12.0%) $           (842,734) 12.0%  $                     ‐ 0.0%  $         7,005,725

EBIT $     (12,333,524) $        (3,561,111) (28.9%) $           (123,763) (1.0%) $        (8,798,014) (71.3%) $     (24,816,411)

NET PROFIT (LOSS)  $     (12,333,524) $        (3,561,111) (28.9%) $           (123,763) (1.0%) $        (8,798,014) (71.3%) $     (24,816,411)

NET PROFIT (LOSS) % ‐10.2% ‐24.9%