Environmental Stewardship

Environmental Stewardship

Being a leader in environmental stewardship is one of Matson’s core values. Our vessels transit some of the most environmentally sensitive areas in the United States, including the Hawaiian Islands and the coasts of California, Oregon, Washington and Alaska. Accordingly, Matson is focused on reducing transportation emissions through improvements in vessel fuel consumption and the development of more fuel-efficient transportation solutions. We complement these efforts by testing and deploying leading technologies as the fleet is modernized.

Climate Impact and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Our decarbonization efforts focus on near-term efficiency projects with measurable returns that also help us meet our longer-term fleet and fuel objectives. Our aim is to maintain safe, reliable service for the communities we serve, while simultaneously meeting evolving regulatory and stakeholder expectations. We also consider emissions impacts when reviewing operational decisions or changes and how they may impact our decarbonization efforts.

We have set an interim goal to achieve a 40% reduction in Scope 1 GHG emissions from our owned fleet by 2030, measured against a 2016 baseline, and a longer-term goal to achieve net zero Scope 1 emissions from our owned fleet by 2050.

Blue bar graph showing Scope 1 GHG emissions from owned fleet with 2016 as the baseline, and values for 2023, 2024, and 2025.

Our Climate Transition Plan

Our climate goals form the foundation of Matson’s climate transition plan. We developed our Scope 1 emissions reduction goals in consideration of the International Maritime Organization’s (“IMO”) efforts to reduce emissions across the industry. Periodic sustainability assessments and regular risk reviews help us identify where to invest our resources, understand our current progress toward emissions reduction targets, prioritize key risks, and determine where to focus our decarbonization efforts.

Graphic showing elements of climate transition plans with 2030 and 2050 Scope 1 fleet emission goals.

 

Demand for Matson's China Service

Our CLX and MAX services from China to the U.S. West Coast are the fastest and second-fastest ocean services from Shanghai, China to Long Beach, California. In addition, our best-in-class destination services—including dedicated terminals with truck turn times that are significantly faster than the competition—mean that, for many of our customers, Matson’s China service is a viable alternative to air freight. With only a few extra days transit time, Matson’s expedited ocean service is significantly less expensive and far less carbon-intensive than air freight: in some cases, customers have identified a 95% reduction in GHG emissions on a per-product basis. We believe the compelling strengths of our China service can contribute to broader efforts to decarbonize supply chains.

Bar chart showing grams of CO2 per metric ton of goods shipped per kilometer across different transportation modes - container ship, rail, truck, air freight long haul, air freight short haul

 

Air Emissions

Managing air pollutants is one of our priorities, as these emissions can negatively affect human health and the environment. We employ a range of operational and technological measures to help reduce our air emissions:

  • Tier 3 Engines: Lurline, Matsonia, and Manukai all have Tier 3 engines that emit approximately 80% less nitrogen oxide emissions compared to Tier 1 engines, making these vessels among the lowest emitting deep-sea vessels to regularly call the U.S. West Coast. We also purchased and plan to install Tier 3 engines on the three new Aloha Class vessels under construction.
  • AMP Shore Power: We regularly use AMP shore power in California and China, and employ California Air Resources Board-approved emissions capture and control barges, such as our AERAS-1 barge, in California to reduce air emissions from vessels while they are in port.
  • Scrubbers: Ten of our vessels have exhaust gas cleaning systems, or “scrubbers.” Scrubbers reduce sulfur oxide emissions by cleaning the exhaust gases before they are released. Scrubbers are effective in reducing black carbon emissions and eliminating more than 80% of particulate matter, significantly decreasing the amount of harmful air pollutants and overall air emissions from our fleet.
  • LNG: In addition to reducing our Scope 1 emissions, use of LNG also reduces our air pollutants due to the even lower sulfur content in LNG compared to low-sulfur conventional fuels.

Energy Use and Alternative Fuels

The fuels used to power Matson’s vessels are a central part of our approach to reducing GHG emissions and advancing our climate transition plan. New, low-carbon fuels present upsides for the environment, but also challenges in sourcing, availability, affordability and infrastructure.

Ocean Health and Biodiversity

Our oceans are a vital resource, serving as the backbone of local economies and powering global economies. In addition to supporting the livelihoods of billions globally, oceans play a critical role in the carbon cycle and the regulation of Earth’s climate. Our operations touch the ocean environment and marine ecosystems every day. We recognize the importance of helping to protect ocean health and biodiversity through responsible operations and environmental stewardship.

Explore More

For more information, please see our latest Sustainability Report and overview of our Environmental Stewardship Program.