Supply Chain Research

Container-line Matson reported 4Q 2017 revenues that fell 1% on a year earlier, though that was 2% better than expected. The downturn was due to an 11% slump in Hawaiian traffic which has shown no sign of recovering in 2018 based on NWSA data. The better-than-expected revenues may reflect premium pricing in its Chinese service, though volumes there have fallen too. The decline in revenues compares to a 15% improvement for the container-line sector broadly. The company expects rates, but not volumes, to improve in 2018 though it continues to face stiff competition. Matson’s share of Hawai...