Matson vs Pasha Hawaii: Shipping Your Car From Hawaii Compared

Ports served

Both carriers publish their own service maps, and routes change, so treat this as a starting point and confirm on each site before booking.

• Matson: serves Honolulu and neighbor-island ports and several West Coast mainland ports. Confirm the current port list for your island and destination on Matson's site.
• Pasha Hawaii: serves Honolulu and neighbor-island ports and West Coast mainland ports. Confirm the current port list for your route on Pasha's site.
• Neighbor-island cars may route through Honolulu, which can add time.

Booking process

Both carriers take bookings online, with customer service available by phone through their official sites.

1. Get a quote on each carrier's site for your vehicle, origin port and destination port.
2. Book a sailing and drop-off appointment, if the carrier uses appointments.
3. Gather documents: current registration, photo ID matching the registered owner, and a lienholder letter if the car isn't paid off. Someone other than the owner usually needs written authorization.
4. Prepare the car (see below) and deliver it to the port terminal on time.
5. Track the shipment and pick up at the mainland port, or hire a domestic auto transporter to move it inland.

Typical transit times

Total time depends on ocean transit, waiting for the next sailing and any inter-island leg. Each carrier publishes sailing schedules on its site; the schedule, not a rule of thumb, is what to plan around.

What's allowed in the vehicle

Both carriers restrict personal items in shipped vehicles. Read each carrier's personal-items policy before you book, and plan to ship belongings with your household goods instead.

Carriers limit how much fuel can be in the tank and generally expect the car to run; check each carrier's exact rules before drop-off.

Insurance and liability

Ocean carriers' standard liability for vehicles is limited and governed by their published terms and bill of lading. Read each carrier's terms before you book, ask whether supplemental coverage is offered, and call your own auto insurer — some policies cover a car in transit, many don't.

Document the car's condition with dated photos on all sides before drop-off, and inspect it carefully at pickup before signing.

Drop-off requirements

• Arrive with all required documents; missing paperwork is the most common reason a car is turned away.
• Clean exterior and interior; no soil or plant matter.
• Low fuel level within the carrier's limit.
• No personal items beyond what the carrier allows.
• Remove toll tags and garage openers; disable alarms.
• Provide working keys; carriers may ask for a spare.

How pricing is quoted

Both carriers price per vehicle based on its size or dimensions, the origin and destination ports, and any added services. Fuel surcharges and terminal fees can apply. We don't publish a price because published rates change and depend on your car and route; request a quote directly on Matson's and Pasha Hawaii's sites and compare like for like.