MATU → matson.com
Matson Container Tracking
Few carriers serve two such different customers at once — island communities that depend on scheduled US-flag sailings, and transpacific shippers paying a premium for the CLX because ten days beats everyone else by roughly half.
Whichever lane your cargo rides, the number formats are the same, and the validator below confirms a MATU serial before matson.com sees it.
4 letters + 7 digits, printed on the doors
The MATU prefix
Matson Navigation registers one owner code, MATU — no merger residue, no sister codes, which reflects a company that grew organically on its own trades rather than by absorbing rivals. If the prefix reads MATU and the check digit passes, the box is Matson’s.
| Prefix | MATU |
|---|
Matson B/L format: MATS plus digits
Bills of lading break the usual pattern of reusing the container prefix: they start with MATS followed by a numeric serial. Booking references are accepted in the same search too, making Matson one of the few carriers on this site whose tracker takes all three identifier types.
Using the matson.com tracker
The shipment-tracking page posts your query as a form, so URL parameters do nothing — we verified there is no way to deep-link a result. Type or paste the number instead. On mobile, Matson ships two dedicated apps: Matson Track My Container for boxes and Track My Auto for the vehicle-shipping business that is huge on the Hawaii and Alaska lanes.
| Container number | ✓ yes |
|---|---|
| Bill of lading (B/L) | ✓ yes |
| Booking reference | ✓ yes |
| Pre-filled link | — no |
| Mobile app | ✓ yes |
Browser-verified 2026-08-03
- Alliance
- Independent
- Headquarters
- Honolulu, USA
- Founded
- 1882
- Fleet rank (Alphaliner, 2026)
- #30 worldwide
William Matson started with a schooner run to Hawaii in 1882; the modern company, about 69,000 TEU and 30th worldwide, still treats those islands as its reason for existing — Jones Act US-built, US-crewed ships on a schedule communities can plan around.
Frequently asked questions
How fast is Matson’s CLX service really?
About 10 days Shanghai to Long Beach, with cargo typically available the next day thanks to a dedicated terminal — versus 15–20+ days port-to-port on conventional transpacific strings. It is the fastest scheduled ocean option across the Pacific.
What does the Jones Act mean for my Matson shipment?
Domestic US routes — mainland to Hawaii, Alaska, Guam — must use US-built, US-flagged, US-crewed vessels, and Matson is the principal carrier meeting that bar. Practically, it means fixed weekly schedules and no substitution onto foreign tonnage.
Why does my Matson B/L start with MATS instead of MATU?
By design: MATU is the BIC container prefix, MATS opens bill-of-lading serials. Both work at matson.com, so search with whichever identifier your document shows.
Can I track a car I’m shipping with Matson?
Yes — vehicle shipments have their own app, Track My Auto, separate from Track My Container. Auto bookings use their own reference numbers from your Matson receipt.
Does matson.com support pre-filled tracking links?
No — the search submits as a POST form and ignores anything appended to the URL. Validate the number here, then enter it manually; the mobile apps remember shipments between sessions.