Matson Inc., the state’s largest ocean carrier, has announced that they will be increasing their fuel surcharge by 4.5 percent on October 7, 2012 due to increases in bunker fuel prices. This will mean that the fuel surcharge will rise from the current 39 percent to 43.5 percent. Matson’s Senior Vice President for Ocean Services, Dave Hoppes, stated, “While we were encouraged by the moderation of bunker fuel prices earlier this year, that trend has been reversed in recent months. Since announcing our last decrease in mid-July, bunker fuel prices have risen over 13 percent. Energy-related expenses continue to be a significant cost factor for most businesses, as well as consumers, with transportation companies especially hard hit.”
Executive Director of the Hawaii Food Industry Association, Lauren Zirbel, commented, “We’ve seen a lot of increases in costs in the form of government fees and taxes, but we also have seen a constant increase on the shipping side. Both of those things are a large part of the reason it’s so expensive to purchase groceries in Hawaii. There’s only so much that businesses can absorb. They really have no choice but to pass increased costs to the consumer because they’re already operating on a bare minimum.”
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 9-8-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, Realtor®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, Realtor®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com
