HRS §462A-18
When a ship must use a licensed pilot
Ships entering or leaving certain Hawaii ports or waters must use a licensed pilot, unless the ship is exempt. If a ship is in immediate danger or threatens public safety, it can be moved without a pilot if none is available.
The statute, as written — Vessels required to take a pilot
Every vessel, other than an exempt vessel, entering or departing from any port in or traversing the waters of the State designated as pilotage waters shall employ a pilot licensed under this chapter; provided that a vessel declared by the director of transportation to be in immediate danger of destruction or which poses an immediate hazard to public safety by its presence in the harbor may be moved without a pilot when a pilot is not immediately available.
LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.