Matson launches new Tahiti service

GUAM—Matson, Inc., a leading U.S. carrier in the Pacific, has launched a previously announced new direct service to Tahiti that provides twice monthly, fixed day arrivals from the U.S. mainland and the fastest transit times from Hawaii to French Polynesia.

The new Tahiti service is an extension of Matson’s South Pacific Express, or SPX, service that connects the carrier’s existing U.S. West Coast network serving all three major ports, and its New Zealand-based network serving islands of the South Pacific.

In February, Matson announced the addition of a second vessel to its SPX service, which enables direct calls on Tahiti and Tonga, along with improved reliability of fixed-day arrivals every two weeks. The second vessel, Maria P, is soon to be renamed Samoana.

With the addition of Papeete, Tahiti as a port of call, Matson now provides export shipping from the United States and Hawaii to many of the major islands of Polynesia, including Samoa, American Samoa, the Cook Islands (Rarotonga and Aitutaki), Tonga (Nukualofa and Vava’u), Niue, New Zealand, and Fiji (Suva and Lautoka).

Advantages of the new Tahiti service include Matson’s dedicated terminal operations in Hawaii, Long Beach, Oakland, and Seattle, affording customers:

Early receiving: tender cargo when it’s ready 


Late cut-offs within hours of vessel departure times

Industry-leading truck turn times 


Use of Matson’s extensive owned chassis inventory throughout the U.S. 


“This new service allows Matson to leverage existing operations in the region to offer market-leading service to a new destination,” said senior vice president-Pacific Tuilaepa Vic Angoco. “The people of Tahiti and Hawaii have enjoyed a long and rich history together with shared ethnic and cultural ties. We look forward to strengthening ties between our island communities.”

For detailed schedule information, refer to the updated SPX Sailing Schedule posted online at https://www.matson.com/matnav/services/south_pacific_Schedules.html

Matson has appointed Papeete Seairland Transports as its exclusive agent in Tahiti. (PR)

Founded in 1882, Matson is a provider of ocean transportation and logistics services. Matson provides a vital lifeline to the domestic non-contiguous economies of Hawaii, Alaska, and Guam, and to other island economies in Micronesia. Matson also operates a premium, expedited service from China to Southern California and provides services to Okinawa, Japan and various islands in the South Pacific.

Matson Logistics, established in 1987, extends the geographic reach of Matson’s transportation network throughout the continental U.S.

Additional information about the company is available at www.matson.com.