The average price of regular gasoline in Honolulu rose to a record $2.567 a gallon, according to yesterday's AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report.

The statewide average was $2.642, down from the record $2.664 reached Monday. On Maui, the average price in Wailuku was $2.899, down from Tuesday's record of $2.974. Hilo's average was $2.657, down from the record $2.730 reached Monday.

MATSON SECURES $22.3M IN PACTS

Matson Navigation Company has been awarded ship management contracts totaling $22.3 million by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration for three ships in its Ready Reserve Fleet.

The contract for two of the vessels — roll-on/roll-off ships in reduced operating status in Alameda, Calif. — is for four years. 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.

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.

WARNING ISSUED ON ID THEFT SCAM

The Hawai'i Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs is warning consumers to be aware of a man who is posing as an investigator.

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

The man told the consumer that telemarketers from Canada could access his checking account without his approval and withdraw funds. The man 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 telephone number given to him 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. The office is warning consumers not to provide financial information to anyone they don't know.