Dear Matson SPX Customer,
As an update to our September communication, we are pleased to advise that our new Vessel Sharing Agreement with Polynesia Line (Swire) has been approved by the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC). Through this agreement, Matson will provide direct service from Long Beach and Oakland to Papeete, Apia and Pago Pago.
Bookings can be made as usual through Matson’s world class customer service group, and our initial sailing will be Polynesia 513S, departing Long Beach on 14 November. Complete schedule details are posted on our website at https://www.matson.com.
Matson has also entered into a Vessel Sharing Agreement with Hamburg Sud (Maersk) for service from the West Coast to Papeete, Apia and Pago Pago. This agreement has been filed with the FMC with the review process scheduled to be completed by 8 December 2019. We anticipate our first sailing at the end of December.
Once this second agreement is in place, Matson will enter its long term deployment with twice monthly sailings departing the U.S. West Coast. We will provide detailed schedule information when government approval has been received.
Matson’s last direct sailing from Honolulu is Liloa II V39, with an estimated departure of 15 November. Liloa will call on Pago Pago, Apia and Nuku’alofa on this final voyage. Papeete bound cargo booked to the Liloa II V39 will be redirected to the Polynesia 513S. In our new deployment, all Hawaii origin and destined cargo will relay via the U.S. West Coast.
We look forward to serving you in this new deployment. We appreciate your understanding during the short transition period. If you have any questions, please contact your account executive or our Customer Service Centre at 64 9 302 2204.
Thank you for shipping with Matson.