The contract for two of the vessels — roll-on/roll-off ships currently in reduced operating status in Alameda, Calif. — is for four years, with two three-year extensions possible. The contract for the third, a break bulk vessel in full operating status with the U.S. Navy Military Sealift Command's Pre-Position Program, is for one year with two possible one-year extensions.

Matson will be responsible for keeping the ships in a constant state of readiness and getting the ships fully crewed with U.S-citizen merchant mariners when an activation call goes out.

State officials warn consumers about identity theft scam

The Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs is warning consumers to be aware of a man who is posing as an investigator with the State's Office of Consumer Protection.

A consumer said he received a call yesterday from a man identifying himself as Dawson Brown from the Office of Consumer Protection. No such person works for OCP, a spokesman said.

Brown told the consumer that telemarketers from Canada could access his checking account without his approval and withdraw funds. Brown read an account number and asked the consumer to verify it. After the consumer verified the account number, he was advised to contact a company called Privacy Management Group, but the company's contact number given to him by Brown was not valid.

The consumer then called OCP and was informed he was the victim of an identity theft scam. The consumer called his bank, closed his checking account, and reopened it under a different account number.

"Do not under any circumstances provide your financial information to anyone unless you know the person with whom you are dealing," said OCP Executive Director Stephen Levins.

Starr Seigle lands marketing contract with Japanese government

Starr Seigle Communications, a Honolulu-based advertising and public relations company, has won its third consecutive contract from the Japanese government to market travel to Japan in the United States.

The one-year contract focuses on continuing the Visit Japan Campaign that began in April 2003 to balance Japan's inbound and outbound tourism. The campaign aims to double the number of visitors to Japan to 10 million by 2010. Starr Seigle and the Japanese government were still negotiating the contract amount.

Statistics show 16.5 million Japanese tourists traveled abroad in 2002 while only 5 million international tourists visited Japan, Starr Seigle said.