Port of Honolulu drayage is the short truck move that takes a container from a carrier terminal at Honolulu Harbor, such as Matson or Pasha on Sand Island, to its first stop on Oahu. Preferred Transportation Services has run these moves since 2016 under USDOT 2926199 and Hawaii PUC certificate 2398-C. Breakbulk steel, lumber and pipe from the harbor move to job sites on our flatbed freight services. Once the container is unloaded, our freight hauling services can take the goods on to stores, job sites and customers across Oahu.
This page explains how a pickup at the port works. For daily scheduled drayage, see daily container drayage.
What is Port of Honolulu drayage?
Drayage is the local trucking leg between a port terminal and the first place a container is unloaded. On Oahu, that usually means pulling a loaded container out of a Honolulu Harbor container yard, delivering it to a warehouse, store, job site or distribution center, and bringing the empty back to the same carrier's yard. It is a small part of the journey, but it decides when your freight is actually usable.
Honolulu Harbor is the hub of the state's commercial harbor system. The Hawaii Department of Transportation reports that about 80 percent of the goods consumed in Hawaii are imported, and nearly 99 percent of those pass through the state's commercial harbors.
Which Port of Honolulu terminals do containers come from?
Each ocean carrier runs its own container yard with its own gate hours, so the first question on any port move is which carrier is releasing the box.
| Carrier | Terminal | Address | Container gate hours (as posted) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matson | Sand Island container yard | 1411 Sand Island Pkwy, Honolulu, HI 96819 | Mon–Thu 6:00am–3:45pm; Fri 7:00am–3:45pm; Sun 7:00am–11:45am; Sat closed; holidays closed |
| Pasha Hawaii | Honolulu Terminal, Pier 51 | 1601 Sand Island Pkwy, Honolulu, HI 96819 | Mon & Thu 6:00am–3:45pm; Tue, Wed & Fri 6:00am–2:45pm; Sat 7:00am–11:45am (break 9:30–10:00am) |
Hours were read from each carrier's website on 8 October 2026 and can change at short notice, so they should be confirmed before dispatch. We also hold interchange agreements with Aloha Marine Lines, NYK Lines and Young Brothers, and confirm the receiving yard and hours for those moves when the container is released.
How does a Port of Honolulu container pickup work?
1. The carrier says the container is available
After the vessel is discharged, the carrier notifies the consignee or its agent that the cargo is available. Matson's published Hawaii rules say this notice can come by phone, fax, mail or electronic means. Send us that notice, or the container and bill of lading numbers, and we track availability from there.
2. The container is released
A container leaves the yard only after the carrier releases it to the trucker. For international cargo, customs comes first: U.S. Customs and Border Protection gives the importer of record up to 15 days after arrival to file a Cargo Release. Agricultural items arriving in Hawaii also need a state inspection before entry. Our customs clearance in Hawaii guide covers that step.
3. We book the pickup inside the terminal's gate hours
Once the box is released, we schedule the pickup at the carrier's yard within its posted gate hours (see the table above). Weekend and holiday gate times are limited or closed, so a container released late on a Friday may not move until the next working day.
4. The container comes out on a chassis
In Hawaii, carriers such as Matson release containers on chassis for local delivery. Matson's free-time rules, for example, apply to "containers on chassis" removed from its Hawaii container yard for unloading. That means the chassis stays with the container until the empty goes back, and both count toward the carrier's free time.
5. Delivery and unloading on your schedule
We deliver within your receiving window. Tell us how the container will be unloaded, so we can plan the driver's time and the empty return inside free time. If the site has no dock, ask about forklift delivery or lift gate delivery for the next leg.
6. The empty goes back before free time runs out
Matson's published Hawaii rules give 10 days of free time per container on chassis, and 6 days for refrigerated cargo. That time starts at 12:01 a.m. after discharge of the last westbound container and does not count Saturdays, Sundays or holidays. After that, the carrier charges detention per day. Other carriers set their own terms, so we confirm free time on each release.
Which container types and weights do we move from the port?
Our FMCSA record lists intermodal containers, general freight, refrigerated food, beverages, lumber, paper products and construction materials among the cargo we haul. These are the standard Hawaii container sizes Matson publishes, with the empty weight of each box:
| Container | Outside size | Empty weight (Matson spec) |
|---|---|---|
| 20 ft dry | 20' x 8' x 8'6" | 4,870 lb |
| 40 ft dry | 40' x 8' x 8'6" | 7,800 lb |
| 40 ft high cube | 40' x 8' x 9'6" | 8,110 lb |
| 45 ft high cube | 45' x 8' x 9'6" | 10,000 lb |
| 20 ft refrigerated | 20' x 8' x 8'6" | 5,360 lb |
| 40 ft refrigerated (high cube) | 40' x 8' x 9'6" | 10,400 lb |
| Open equipment, 40 ft and 45 ft | 40' or 45' x 8' x 8'6" to 9'6" | 8,000–12,120 lb |
The cargo you can load into a box is limited by the carrier's own maximum and by the legal weight limits for the road trip from the port. Send us the declared gross weight with your request and we confirm the right equipment before pickup. Oversized or out-of-gauge cargo on flatracks moves on our drop deck trailers.
Where on Oahu do we deliver port containers?
We deliver port containers across Oahu: Honolulu, Kapolei and the rest of the island. Typical first stops are importers' warehouses, building-supply yards, construction sites, retail back rooms, food and beverage distributors, and military bases. Bases have their own access rules, covered on our military base and residential delivery page.
What kinds of loads do customers move this way?
- Building materials such as lumber, plywood and pre-cast concrete, pulled from the port straight to a contractor's yard or job site.
- Refrigerated and frozen food and beverages that have to reach a cold room quickly, because reefer free time is shorter. See refrigerated and frozen delivery.
- Mixed retail and e-commerce inventory that is unloaded, sorted and sent on to stores through our Hawaii distribution center.
- Containers that arrive before the receiver is ready, held in warehouse storage in Honolulu instead of sitting at the port past free time.
Why use Preferred for port drayage?
- USDOT 2926199, active. Our FMCSA SAFER record shows an authorized for-hire carrier operating within Hawaii. Check our SAFER record.
- Hawaii PUC certificate 2398-C. The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission requires a certificate or permit for carriers that haul property for hire within the state.
- Interchange agreements with Matson, Pasha Hawaii, Aloha Marine Lines, NYK Lines and Young Brothers.
- Locally owned on Oahu since 2016. We started with one truck and a small share of warehouse space in Honolulu.
Related services and guides
- Daily container drayage
- Shipping a container to Hawaii
- Warehouse storage in Honolulu
- Short-term storage
- Long-term storage
- Customs clearance in Hawaii
- Mainland to Hawaii freight shipping
Need a container pulled from the Port of Honolulu? Request a quote or call (808) 509-8160, Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
Frequently asked questions
What is Port of Honolulu drayage?
It is the local truck move that takes a container from a carrier's container yard at Honolulu Harbor to its first stop on Oahu, such as a warehouse, store, job site or distribution center, and then returns the empty to the carrier. It covers the short trip between the ship and the place your freight is unloaded.
Which Port of Honolulu terminals do you pick up from?
We pull containers from the carrier yards at Honolulu Harbor, including Matson's Sand Island container yard and Pasha Hawaii's Honolulu Terminal at Pier 51. We also hold interchange agreements with Aloha Marine Lines, NYK Lines and Young Brothers. Each yard sets its own gate hours, so we confirm them before every pickup.
How long can a container stay out before detention charges start?
It depends on the carrier. Matson's published Hawaii rules allow 10 days per container on chassis, or 6 days for refrigerated cargo, not counting Saturdays, Sundays or holidays. Free time starts at 12:01 a.m. after the last westbound container is discharged. After that, the carrier charges detention per day, so we plan the empty return around those dates.
Do I need my own chassis?
Usually not. In Hawaii, carriers such as Matson release containers on chassis for local delivery, and Matson's free-time rules apply to containers on chassis removed from its yard. We pull the container on the chassis, deliver it, and return both together once it is empty. If you own or lease your own equipment, tell us when you book.
What do you need to schedule a port pickup?
Send the carrier name, the container and bill of lading numbers, whether the container has been released, its size and type, the declared gross weight, the delivery address and your receiving hours. Tell us how the container will be unloaded and whether the cargo is refrigerated or oversized.
Can you store a container if my warehouse is not ready?
Yes. If your receiving site is not ready, we can pull the container before port storage charges begin and hold the freight in our short-term or long-term storage. We can also unload it, break it down and deliver it to several locations through our distribution service. Ask for storage when you request your drayage quote.