Like most companies, Honolulu-based Matson was hit by Covid-19 this past spring as Hawaii’s tourist industry suddenly came to a halt. The carrier’s Hawaii cargo volume dropped nearly 20 percent by the second half of April but its service from China was up 4 percent, largely because of increased shipments of personal protective equipment, cleaning products and working-at-home electronics.
To boost capacity on that route Matson shifted its fastest vessel, the 23-knot Daniel K. Inouye, to the trade as well as chartered in one ship, the 2,824TEU Captain Thanasis. At the same time it enacted a hiring freeze and projected that some changes will be made to its neighbor island barge service as resorts and many businesses wait a return of tourist traffic.
