Honolulu, Hawaii · Alaska, Hawaii & Territories
Honolulu Harbor container demurrage & detention dispute guide
Hawaii's main container port, dominated by domestic Jones Act trade through Matson and Pasha terminals, where classifying each invoice as domestic or foreign comes first.
- Authority
- Hawaii Department of Transportation, Harbors Division
- Container terminals
- 3
The port at a glance
Honolulu Harbor is the hub of Hawaii's container supply chain. Most of its container volume is domestic trade between the US West Coast and Hawaii, carried under the Jones Act by Matson and Pasha Hawaii, which together operate on about 130 acres of pier and terminal space at Sand Island. The state is building the Kapalama Container Terminal at Piers 41 to 43, which Pasha's Hawaii Stevedores subsidiary is set to lease; in August 2026 the project was reported as nearing completion. Neighbor island cargo moves onward by barge.
That domestic profile matters for D&D. 46 CFR Part 541 governs D&D invoices issued by ocean common carriers and marine terminal operators in US foreign commerce. Domestic offshore trades such as mainland to Hawaii fall under a different regulatory framework, with the Surface Transportation Board overseeing domestic offshore rates. International containers arriving in Honolulu on foreign services, and terminal charges tied to them, are a different matter.
The first mistake businesses make is applying one playbook to every invoice. Before disputing, classify each charge: was the container moving in foreign commerce, and who issued the invoice? For foreign commerce boxes, the Part 541 elements, timing rules and the incentive principle apply in full. For domestic moves, the carrier's published terms and the governing domestic rules apply, and the evidence discipline (availability, holds, gate times) is still the basis of any credit request.
Container terminals
Matson Sand Island Terminal
Matson · Domestic container service to the West Coast; Matson is modernizing the terminal in phases
Pasha Hawaii terminal (Sand Island)
Hawaii Stevedores, Inc. (The Pasha Group) · Expected to relocate to Kapalama
Kapalama Container Terminal (Piers 41 to 43)
Hawaii Stevedores, Inc. (The Pasha Group) · State-owned terminal reported nearing completion in August 2026
Appointments & empty returns
- Pickup and return procedures are published by the carrier operating each terminal (Matson and Pasha Hawaii); the Harbors Division does not run a port-wide appointment platform.
Chassis
Honolulu has no published neutral chassis pool; chassis are supplied by the carriers operating each terminal and by local drayage providers.
Where D&D builds up at Honolulu.
Jurisdiction classification
Most volume is domestic Jones Act cargo. Part 541 applies to foreign commerce invoices from ocean common carriers and MTOs. Misclassifying an invoice wastes the dispute window or cites the wrong rules.
Terminal space constraints
Sand Island yards are tightly constrained until Kapalama opens and Matson's modernization completes. Yard congestion can delay container availability.
Terminal relocation
Pasha's planned move to Kapalama will change gate locations and return instructions. Record every changed instruction during the transition.
Neighbor island transshipment
Containers bound for other islands move onward by barge. Delays at the transfer point should be documented separately from Honolulu terminal delays.
Weather and harbor closures
High surf, storms and hurricane watches can close the harbor. Billed days during closures should be flagged.
Free time and disputes at Honolulu
Free time at Honolulu is set by the carrier's published terms or your contract, and by the terminal operator's schedule for storage. The Harbors Division does not set a port-wide free time for containers. For foreign commerce invoices from ocean common carriers or MTOs, check every one of the 20 minimum elements in § 541.6.
For foreign commerce charges, the 30-day issuance rule (§ 541.7) and the minimum 30-day relief request window (§ 541.8) apply, and the incentive principle in 46 CFR § 545.5 frames disputes over days when cargo could not be moved. For domestic Jones Act moves, review the carrier's published terms and request credit for days the box was unavailable, using the same evidence.
ATAHSKIA's OSRA Audit Engine tags each invoice by trade and billing party, so foreign commerce charges are audited against Part 541 and domestic charges are routed for review against the carrier's own terms.
Honolulu D&D FAQ
Does FMC Part 541 apply to Matson or Pasha invoices for mainland to Hawaii cargo?
Part 541 governs D&D billed by ocean common carriers and MTOs in US foreign commerce. Mainland to Hawaii cargo is domestic Jones Act trade under a different framework, so classify each invoice before choosing which rules to cite.
What is the Kapalama Container Terminal?
A state-owned container terminal at Piers 41 to 43 that Pasha's Hawaii Stevedores subsidiary is set to lease, reported as nearing completion in August 2026.
Is evidence still useful for domestic Honolulu disputes?
Yes. Availability, hold and closure records support a credit request under the carrier's own terms even where Part 541 does not apply.
Audit your Honolulu invoices.
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