Matson Inc. contributing to Tonga disaster relief

Matson Inc. will contribute more than $250,000 in goods and services to Tonga disaster relief and deliver some of it in a special voyage this week, the Honolulu-­based company announced Monday.

In addition, the state’s largest ocean shipping company has scheduled two additional relief voyages from Auckland, New Zealand, Matson’s South Pacific hub, during the next three weeks.

On Friday, Matson delivered the first ocean shipment of goods to Tonga since the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha‘apai underwater volcano that sent powerful tsunami waves onto the island nation and covered it with volcanic ash Jan. 15.

“Our hearts are with the people of Tonga as they work to recover from the devastation,” Matt Cox, chairman and CEO of Matson, said in a news release.

The company’s contribution comes on top of the $2.6 million in humanitarian aid already announced by the U.S. government.

Matson, which operates a service to Tonga’s capital, Nuku‘alofa, from Auckland every two weeks, is working with community organizations in Auckland that are leading relief efforts.

Matson’s vessel Liloa II made its regularly scheduled port call at Nuku‘alofa last week, and the company said the vessel was able to discharge its full load of containerized cargo — a combination of frozen, refrigerated and dry food, water and household goods.

In order to expedite relief shipments to Tonga, Matson said it is redirecting its vessel Kamokuiki for a special voyage to deliver disaster relief goods donated by the company and community groups. The ship, which normally operates Matson’s China-Auckland Express serv­ice, will depart Auckland on Thursday and arrive at Nuku‘alofa on Monday.

In addition, on Feb. 2, Matson’s vessel Papa Mau will depart Auckland carrying regular cargo and relief goods that are scheduled for arrival at Nuku‘alofa on Feb. 7. The ship will make a second special voyage departing Auckland on Feb. 16 and arriving at Nuku‘alofa on Feb. 21.

Matson has also launched an employee donation drive that will match donations from its employees with equal contributions to New Zealand Red Cross’ Pacific Tsunami Appeal fund for Tonga disaster relief. The program will run through Feb. 15.

On Saturday, U.S. Rep. Ed Case, D-Hawaii, announced that the U.S. State Department’s Agency for International Development is providing $2.5 million in assistance to Tonga.

The funding is in addition to the initial $100,000 already provided to the Tonga Red Cross Society for water, sanitation and hygiene supplies and to support disease prevention campaigns to reduce the spread of infectious disease, Case said.

Last week Case and fellow co-leaders of his bipartisan Pacific Islands Caucus in the House sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging immediate action to assist Tonga.

“Given reports of extensive damage from both the tsunami and ashfall, we are deeply concerned for the health and welfare of the roughly 100,000 residents of Tonga,” the letter said, adding, “We stand ready to work with you to ensure that assistance is promptly delivered to address this ongoing disaster and that support continues as Tonga rebuilds.”