Hawaii has long been Matson Navigation Co.’s core market, and that isn’t expected to change even though kamaaina firm Alexander & Baldwin Inc. plans to shed ownership and management of the California-based ocean transportation company.

Matson, which has been wholly owned by A&B since 1969, intends to move its corporate offices from Oakland to Sand Island as part of the planned breakup.

Overseeing Matson as board chairman would be Hawaii-born banking industry veteran Walter Dods.

A&B also announced that longtime Hawaii resident and former commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, Adm. Thomas Fargo, will join Matson’s board.

Matson sails five ships a week from the West Coast to Honolulu and makes 10 calls a week to neighbor island ports.

The company dominates Hawaii cargo service, having brought in 136,700 containers and 81,800 automobiles last year.

Matson also serves Guam and operates ships between China and Long Beach, Calif.

The China service was launched in 2006, and was doubled last year before an oversupply in capacity and decline in customer demand led Matson to undo its expansion in August.

At one time, Matson carried most of the freight for the Maui sugar plantation that was the beginning of A&B.

The company started by Capt. William Matson with one ship that first sailed to Hawaii in 1882 has often been on the forefront of diversification and innovation. In its early history, Matson prospected for oil to produce fuel for its ships, entered the tourism trade with passenger service and hotels in Waikiki, served the U.S. military during World War II and helped usher in the age of containerized cargo.