Posted at 12:22 p.m., Thursday, February 9, 2006
BUSINESS BRIEFS
Matson adds roll-on feature to ship
Advertiser Staff
Matson Navigation Company, Inc. is converting one of its C-9 containerships into a combination vehicle roll-on/roll-off and container vessel.The conversion of the MV Mokihana is part of the company's program beginning in 2003 to increase roll-on/roll-off capacity to its Hawai'i fleet. This phase of the plan — estimated at $45 million — includes building the garage, expanding the company's interisland barge capacity, improving shoreside facilities and new information technology for auto shipments. It is expected to be completed by mid-2007.
Matson currently has two combination roll-on/roll-off containerships in the company's Hawai'i fleet. The company said it has new multi-year agreements with Ford Motor Company and General Motors to ship their vehicles to and from Hawai'i. Matson also has agreements with Dollar Thrifty Group, BMW, Mercedes Benz, Toyota and Nissan.
Hawai'i unemployment claims fall in Jan. 28 week
The number of claims for unemployment insurance filed by Hawai'i residents fell to 1,100 for the week ending Jan. 28, down from 1,300 a year earlier, according to figures released today by the U.S. Labor Department.
Hawai'i accounted for just 0.3 percent of total unemployment insurance claims filed nationally, among the lowest percentage of the 50 states and District of Columbia. Hawai'i's unemployment rate of 2.7 percent is the lowest in the country.
