HONOLULU -- A judge on Monday granted a temporary restraining order that prohibits the Hawaii Superferry from docking at Kahului Harbor on Maui.

Environmental groups filed motions in court on Monday. The environmental groups submitted a motion for a preliminary injunction and requested a temporary restraining order to halt the Hawaii Superferry from using Maui's Kahului Harbor until an environmental assessment is conducted.

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On Thursday, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled that the Hawaii Superferry would have to conduct an environmental impact statement.

State Department of Transportation officials said on Friday they would not stop the ferry from going forward.

The TRO now bans the ferry from using the barge and other state land at Kahului Harbor, eliminating a passenger terminal on the Valley Isle.

The ruling comes one day after the ferry opened for business.

The TRO also prohibits the state Department of Transportation from allowing the Superferry to use state land at Kahului Harbor.

As for passengers who are stranded because of the ruling, the judge is allowing the Superferry to return those passengers to their point of origin.

Judge Joseph Cardoza said he granted the TRO to avoid immediate and irreparable injury to the environment.

The order is effective for 10 days, through Sept. 6.

There is a hearing on the TRO scheduled for Wednesday on Maui.

The Superferry also operates between Oahu and Kauai. Protesters greeted the ferry there on Sunday and Monday nights.

Demonstrators protesting the Hawaii Superferry's decision to sail without a legally required environmental assessment delayed and frightened passengers, leading to a pledge of more security from the Coast Guard and state Department of Transportation.

"Protests and speaking your mind is freedom of speech and there is nothing wrong with that, but obviously everyone is concerned that things got a little uncivil," DOT spokesman Scott Ishikawa said.

Authorities arrested three people on Sunday night. The Coast Guard on Monday vowed to enforce the federal law against getting within 100 years of the ferry, which is a felony.