Increased security from Matson

Matson Inc, a U.S. shipping company based in San Francisco, CA, has responded to the rise in thefts in the intermodal freight industry by announcing a new security program for the international transport of containers. In collaboration with BNSF Railway and lock manufacturer War-Lok, the company will introduce two additional layers of protection for international intermodal freight at no extra cost to customers.

Enhanced Security Measures for Container Transport

As part of the program, Matson will install security devices from War-Lok on all containers transported from Los Angeles to various destinations within the BNSF network, including Chicago, Memphis, and Dallas. This measure represents the first layer of protection.

Additionally, an agreement will be made with BNSF that allows Matson containers to be positioned in the lower section of freight cars. This is intended to enhance the security of shipments from Los Angeles to Chicago. The same protection will also apply to freight transported through the Chicago gateway to selected destinations in the eastern U.S. up to the BNSF transfer point.

John Lauer, Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer of Matson, believes that the company is setting a new standard for freight protection with this program.

“For key destinations that cover the majority of our intermodal domestic markets, Matson customers will receive these enhanced security measures at no additional cost,” Lauer stated. He added that while no security system can eliminate all risks, the new measures will reduce the risk of theft and underscore Matson’s commitment to protecting customer freight throughout the domestic transport process.

Matson operates two express services in the trans-Pacific trade area. The China-Long Beach Express (CLX) and Matson Asia Express (MAX) offer weekly departures with short transit times from China and key locations in Southeast Asia, as well as destination services with freight availability on the same or next day.