Matson teams up with JB Hunt for transload service to inland US

US ocean carrier Matson Navigation Company, has started a new China service concept called Guaranteed Expedited Service (GES).
The service is designed to offer a guaranteed product for full container loads in the transpacific trade for the first time.
The Guaranteed Expedited Service from Ningbo and Shanghai to Long Beach and US inland destinations is offered in partnership with Matson Integrated Logistics (MIL) and North America-based logistics company JB Hunt Transport Services.
The partnership is expected to enable Matson and MIL to guarantee the transit time and delivery of shipments to the US west coast and selected inland destinations. JB Hunt will be responsible for providing guaranteed expedited transload and inland delivery under a single invoice.
Through this arrangement the partners are expected to benefit from economies of scale on inland transport costs by reducing the number of containers and trailers moved to the final inland point.
A joint company statement said that by using JB Hunt's 53-foot containers, customers will be able to consolidate cargo from ocean containers into a lesser number of domestic containers synchronized for carriage via the expedited intermodal system or over-the-road service. The guarantee on both products will offer customers a percentage refund for shipments that arrive later than scheduled.