03-26-2006, 12:35 PM
Having spent my career in shipping and having at one time worked for both Matson and also US Lines which was sold and later became Horizon Lines, I thought I would offer some information.
The US-Hawaii trade is protected by US laws that only allow US built and crewed ships with US ownership. The means you have a choice of using Matson or Horizon for containers and vehicles and Pasha for vehicles only. All others are just selling their service but using one of the above for shipping to Hawaii.
The prices are very close with some downward pressure on vehicles because of the new entrance of Pasha along with their additional vessels on the drawing board. They initially cut Matson's rates, who is the price leader, and they then followed. Because of the lack of real competition due to the US laws these rates will never be too far apart.
Matson sails from Seattle, Oakland and Long Beach and uses its own barges for inter-island shipping. Horizon sails from Tacoma, Oakland and Los Angeles and they uses Young Brothers barges for inter-island. Pasha sails from San Deigo only and has a port call in Hilo.
All vehicles are protected from the weather and never shipped on deck unless it is extremely oversized and won't fit in the vessel auto garage or in a container.
Hozizon only uses containers. Pasha only uses an auto garage. While Matson uses both.
Vehicles are more likely to get stuck somewhere if they need to transshiped in Honolulu or elsewhere. So Pasha is most likely to have a more consistent timely delivery. It also helps that their ships are not filled to capacity. Matson with its transshipment in Honolulu and limited garage space would seem most likely to encounter delays.
Damage wise, container or garage shipping is similar. Container auto shipping is a little more likely for damage during loading and unloading.
If you need more info let me know.
Tom G
The US-Hawaii trade is protected by US laws that only allow US built and crewed ships with US ownership. The means you have a choice of using Matson or Horizon for containers and vehicles and Pasha for vehicles only. All others are just selling their service but using one of the above for shipping to Hawaii.
The prices are very close with some downward pressure on vehicles because of the new entrance of Pasha along with their additional vessels on the drawing board. They initially cut Matson's rates, who is the price leader, and they then followed. Because of the lack of real competition due to the US laws these rates will never be too far apart.
Matson sails from Seattle, Oakland and Long Beach and uses its own barges for inter-island shipping. Horizon sails from Tacoma, Oakland and Los Angeles and they uses Young Brothers barges for inter-island. Pasha sails from San Deigo only and has a port call in Hilo.
All vehicles are protected from the weather and never shipped on deck unless it is extremely oversized and won't fit in the vessel auto garage or in a container.
Hozizon only uses containers. Pasha only uses an auto garage. While Matson uses both.
Vehicles are more likely to get stuck somewhere if they need to transshiped in Honolulu or elsewhere. So Pasha is most likely to have a more consistent timely delivery. It also helps that their ships are not filled to capacity. Matson with its transshipment in Honolulu and limited garage space would seem most likely to encounter delays.
Damage wise, container or garage shipping is similar. Container auto shipping is a little more likely for damage during loading and unloading.
If you need more info let me know.
Tom G