Matson mobilizes for Maui disaster response
Written by Marine Log Staff
Image:Matson
As the death toll from the wild fires devastating the Hawaiian island of Maui soared, Honolulu-headquartered Matson has mobilized to get emergency equipment and supplies to the island.
The company said yesterday that cargo operations at Maui’s Kahului Harbor continue uninterrupted and unaffected by the wildfires in other areas of the island and that its twice weekly service to Maui continues as normal.
Matson is working closely with Federal, State, and County emergency response agencies to assess needs and prioritize the movement of emergency equipment and supplies to Maui as part of the ongoing response to the wildfire crisis there.
Matson’s barge Haleakala was set to depart Honolulu yesterday afternoon with 160 containers onboard and arrive at Kahului this morning. Matson has also chartered an additional barge which will be standing by for emergent requirements in support of the relief efforts.
To expedite the movement of disaster response and emergency cargo, the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission is allowing Matson to temporarily carry disaster response and relief goods and equipment between Honolulu and Maui.
Matson operates a hub-and-spoke system in Hawaii, sailing mainline containerships between the U.S. West Coast and Honolulu three times a week, with connecting service to the Neighbor Islands on owned barges. It will maintain its normal schedule of barge arrivals at Kahului on Tuesdays and Fridays. The company has scheduled one extra Maui sailing, on Sunday, August 20, and is considering additional sailings to Maui should they be needed.
In addition to working with government agencies, the company is working with a number of its customers to send shipments of relief supplies to Maui in the coming days and is in communication with nonprofit organizations about shipments to Maui.
