“Despite rising operating costs, Matson has decided to not seek a general rate increase for its Guam service in 2013,” said Dave Hoppes, senior vice president, ocean services. “We will, however, increase our terminal handling charge, as these costs are driven by factors outside our control and need to be passed on to our customers. Matson continues to absorb a substantial amount of the expenses associated with terminal operations.”

Matson will also not seek a general rate increase for its service to the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The company will, however, raise its transshipment fee for these islands by $100 per container in order to recover costs associated with transshipment through the port of Guam, as well as increase its West Coast terminal handling charge by $50 per container, both effective January 20, 2013.

Matson’s terminal handling charge was first implemented in 2003 and is designed to recover a portion of the costs associated with the movement of cargo through terminals. This charge is standard in the industry and appears as a separate line item at the bottom of the company’s freight bills.