Hawaii & Guam Lifeline Shipping
Dedicated Jones Act scheduled container and vehicle shipping connecting the US West Coast ports of Long Beach, Oakland, and Seattle with Honolulu and neighboring islands, as well as Guam and Micronesia.
Track91
Track Matson Shipments
Matson Tracking
Enter your Matson tracking number for live shipment status, real-time updates and delivery progress.
Matson tracking
Enter your tracking number
Get live shipment status and real-time tracking updates.
How to Track Your Matson Shipment
Three quick steps - free, no login required.
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1
Find your container or booking number
Check the SMS, email, or order page from your seller or courier. Matson formats accepted here include Track91 accepts 4 letters + 6 or 7 digits, or 7-10 numeric digits; standard container example MATU1234567.
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2
Enter it above
Type or paste the container or booking number into the search box at the top of this page and hit track.
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3
Get live shipment status
Track real-time shipment updates, recorded events and delivery estimates supplied by the carrier. Check the event timestamps; results may be cached between updates.
Pacific Ocean Container Tracking
Matson Container Tracking
Founded in 1882, Matson Navigation Company is an American ocean transportation and logistics leader headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii. Operating a modern fleet of containerships and roll-on/roll-off vessels, Matson provides lifeline maritime services across Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, Micronesia, and the South Pacific, alongside its industry-renowned expedited China-to-Long Beach Express (CLX) service. Enter your container or booking number above to track your ocean freight milestones from port ingate to final discharge.
Matson's official Track page separates container, commercial-vehicle, personal-vehicle and household-goods tracking. Its CargoPortal offers BKG, CNTR and BOL inputs, while Track My Auto uses a booking or vehicle VIN. Track91's container integration accepts its configured container and numeric booking formats; a personal vehicle or arbitrary BOL reference should use the appropriate official tool rather than be treated as a failed container lookup. Sources: Matson official tracking categories (indexed); Matson CargoPortal reference fields (indexed); Matson official vessel-schedule tool (indexed).
Matson Ocean Freight Services
Matson connects Pacific commercial corridors with specialized container, automotive, and cold chain services.
China-Long Beach Express (CLX / MAX)
The fastest transpacific ocean service from Ningbo and Shanghai to Long Beach with voyage-specific schedules, dedicated off-dock container yards, and same-day cargo availability.
Alaska Coastal & Rail Logistics
Year-round direct container service connecting Tacoma with Anchorage, Kodiak, and Dutch Harbor, supported by integrated rail and highway transport throughout interior Alaska.
Temperature-Controlled Reefer Cargo
Advanced refrigerated containers with microclimate monitoring and telematics for groceries, seafood, and pharmaceuticals, ensuring uninterrupted cold chains across the Pacific.
Matson Tracking Number Formats
Track91 supports tracking by both container identification number and official booking reference:
Format 1: Container Number (ISO 6346)
MATU1234567
Composed of a 4-letter owner code (typically MATU)
followed by 6 serial numbers and 1 check digit. Stenciled on container side panels and doors.
Format 2: Booking Number
1234567
A 7-digit numeric reference issued on your Matson booking confirmation, dock receipt, or freight invoice.
Average Matson Sailing Durations
Standard port-to-port voyage schedules across Matson's primary Pacific trade lanes:
| Trade Lane | Key Ports | Port-to-Port Transit |
|---|---|---|
| US West Coast - Hawaii | Long Beach / Oakland / Seattle to Honolulu | Check the booked Hawaii sailing |
| China Express (CLX) | Shanghai / Ningbo to Long Beach | Check the booked CLX sailing |
| US West Coast - Guam | Long Beach via Honolulu to Guam | Check the booked Guam sailing |
| Pacific Northwest - Alaska | Tacoma to Anchorage / Kodiak | Check the booked Alaska sailing |
Understanding Matson Tracking Statuses
A guide to milestone statuses reported throughout your container's voyage:
INGATE
The container has arrived at the marine terminal gate, completed security verification, and entered the port marshaling yard.
LOAD TO VESSEL
The container has been loaded aboard the designated Matson vessel and lashed according to the ship stowage plan.
DISCHARGE FROM VESSEL
The ship has docked at the destination harbor, and the container has been offloaded onto the container yard or chassis.
CONTAINER ON HOLD
The container is on hold pending customs clearance, radiation monitoring, agricultural inspection, or freight documentation verification.
OUTGATE
The container has departed the marine terminal gate with an authorized motor carrier for delivery to the consignee facility.
AVAILABLE FOR PICKUP
All terminal holds and fees are released; the container is grounded or mounted on wheels and ready for motor carrier pickup.
Sources for this guide
- Matson official tracking categories (indexed)
- Matson CargoPortal reference fields (indexed)
- Matson official vessel-schedule tool (indexed)
Written by the Track91 team from Matson's published information; some details are still being verified. Track91 is independent of Matson. Report a correction.
General tracking guides
Matson Support
Frequently Asked Questions
Help with Matson tracking, delays and deliveries. Select a question to read the answer.
Can I use a vehicle VIN in this Matson container tracker?
Matson has a separate Track My Auto service that can use a booking or vehicle VIN. Track91 uses the configured container/numeric booking formats. Choose the carrier tool for the cargo type; a VIN is not a container identifier.
What does a Matson container number look like?
Matson container numbers follow the standard ISO 6346 format consisting of a four-letter prefix ending in U (such as MATU), followed by six serial digits and a check digit, for example MATU1234567. You can also track using your official 7-digit Matson booking number.
Who is Matson Navigation Company?
Founded in 1882, Matson is a leading American ocean transportation and logistics provider headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii. Matson provides vital lifeline ocean shipping services to Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, Micronesia, and the South Pacific, alongside its premium expedited China-to-Long Beach express service.
How long does Matson ocean shipping take?
Use Matson's vessel-schedule tool for the booked voyage, ports and service. Hawaii, Guam, Alaska and CLX sailings have different schedules; a general historical range does not establish the current arrival date.
What does "Container on Hold" mean on Matson tracking?
A container hold indicates that the shipment has been temporarily flagged for customs clearance inspection, documentation review, or federal regulatory screening (such as radiation monitoring) at the marine terminal. Read the hold reason and confirm release with the carrier/terminal or broker. Customs, documents or charges can require separate action; automatic release is not guaranteed.
Why is my Matson tracking not showing any new updates?
Ocean container milestones update at key port checkpoints rather than continuously at sea. Once a vessel departs Long Beach, Oakland, or Shanghai, tracking typically remains quiet while sailing across the Pacific until the vessel docks and commences discharge operations at the destination seaport.
What is the difference between Load Port and Discharge Port?
The Load Port (Port of Loading) is the coastal harbor where the container is lifted onto the container ship. The Discharge Port (Port of Discharge) is the destination seaport where the container is unloaded from the vessel before local delivery or inland trucking.
Can I track my shipment without a container number?
Yes, you can track using your Matson booking reference or your Bill of Lading number. If you do not have these details, contact the booking party, shipper, or freight forwarder who coordinated your ocean freight.
What should I do if my Matson container is delayed?
Severe weather in the Pacific, tropical storms, terminal congestion, or customs holds can affect sailing rotations. Review your updated vessel ETA on Track91, or contact Matson customer support or your freight forwarder with your booking number for logistics updates.