The Hawaii Superferry found a military role after a commercial mismatch

Would more very large roll-on/roll-off ferries have been built if the Hawaii Superferry ships had succeeded?

Their commercial problem was matching capacity to route frequency and demand, but the US government found the fast transport concept useful and developed related ships into the Spearhead-class expeditionary transport.

A large ferry only pays when enough passengers and vehicles fill it at the frequency customers expect. The Hawaii service is discussed as a mismatch between vessel capacity, demand, and frequency. A panelist also points to delivery delays and cancellation of the intended route, questioning whether the ships themselves deserve the description "bad." Government acquisition preserved useful high-speed transport features for a naval requirement with different operating economics. The discussion connects those ships with the development of the Spearhead-class transports.