Matson

[sistersue]

If the nation has a lockdown does anyone know if Matson will still bring us food?

[terracore]

I wouldn't be concerned unless the dockworkers all get sick. I can't foresee the barges stopping unless there is a natural disaster. But if there is a labor shortage they may only be able to send essentials. We have several potential choke points because the containers have to get loaded on the west coast, unloaded and reloaded in HNL, unloaded in Hilo, and then trucked to the stores. If there is illness in any of those groups of employees we can expect empty store shelves.

Unfortunately disasters aren't polite. There is no reason to expect that California is not going to get a major earthquake or other natural disaster at the same time we're dealing with a pandemic. Or what if corona virus peaks here the same time as hurricane season and we get both.

[1voyager1]

It is possible Matson could unilaterally close down some of their operations.
But then, the U.S. government could make them continue operations, or do it for them.

Things could get very tight here.
But, I don't see supplying Hawaii grinding to a complete stop.
Unless the U.S. collapses.
Then, you'd better worry about the protectors and their separatist aims.
We could end up like Rhodesia and other African countries during their separatist movements.

[Guest]

But then, the U.S. government could make them continue operations, or do it for them.

I think the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, more commonly known as the Jones Act is specifically designed to address this issue.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchant_M...ct_of_1920