HONOLUL (PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES) — Matson announced today that it will contribute $350,000 in transportation and in-kind services toward disaster relief in Guam, Micronesia and the CNMI, and expects to begin delivering relief supplies on voyage Manukai 237, scheduled to arrive on 6 June.
On Sunday, Matson’s vessel Maunawili, which had been positioned offshore earlier in the week to shelter from Typhoon Mawar, was the first containership to arrive following the reopening of the Port of Guam and began discharging 454 containers of general goods.
“Thanks to the focused efforts of the Guam Government, the Port Authority of Guam and the U.S Coast Guard to reopen the port, we were able to deliver goods to Guam within days of the storm passing,” said Matt Cox, chairmen and CEO of Matson.
“We want the people of Guam, Micronesia and CNMI to know that they can count on Matson to help our communities recover in the difficult weeks ahead. We are committed to helping with recovery efforts in the way we know best — by delivering needed supplies, equipment, and donations to Guam as quickly and efficiently as possible.”
Matson operates a weekly direct service from the U.S West Coast with the largest containerships serving Guam and provides connecting service to islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and Palau.
Matson is working with FEMA and the American Red Cross to facilitate shipments of relief supplies to Guam for the recovery process in the coming weeks and months. The company is also working with community organisations in Hawaii that are leading Guam relief efforts, providing transportation of donated goods to Guam in the coming weeks…. PACNEWS