Matson Paid $6.4 million in Port Fees to China

U.S. ocean shipping company Matson has paid $6.4 million in port fees to China since they were implemented on October 14, CEO Matt Cox said on Tuesday.

President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping last week agreed to put those tit-for-tat levies on pause for 12 months, starting on November 10. Media outlets in China had reported that Matson, one of a handful of global shipping firms with U.S.-built and flagged vessels, was the first to pay the fees in China.

Matson reported its consolidated revenue for the third quarter 2025 was $880.1 million compared with $962.0 million for the third quarter 2024.

Cox commented, "Matson's Ocean Transportation and Logistics business segments performed well in a difficult environment marked by continued uncertainty and volatility arising from tariffs and global trade. In Ocean Transportation, our operating income was lower year-over-year primarily due to lower year-over-year freight rates and container volume in our China service. The Transpacific trade lane experienced a muted peak season compared to the elevated demand levels last year due to businesses advancing cargo in the late second quarter and early third quarter ahead of U.S. tariff deadlines, which led to lower third quarter demand for our expedited services.