March 2, 2026 — In response to the rise of theft from intermodal cargo industrywide, Matson, Inc. (“Matson”) today announced that it has partnered with BNSF Railway and War-Lok to introduce a new, enhanced cargo security program that will add two layers of protection to the majority of its international intermodal cargo at no cost to its customers, beginning in the second quarter of 2026.
Matson will deploy War–Lok security devices on every international container moving from Los Angeles to all BNSF network destinations including Chicago, Memphis, and Dallas, delivering the first new layer of cargo protection.
The program also features a unique agreement with BNSF Railway to position Matson containers in the lower well of international intermodal rail cars, enhancing security from Los Angeles to Chicago. The same protection will apply to cargo moving through the Chicago gateway to select Eastern U.S. destinations up to the BNSF interchange point.
“Matson has a long history of industry leadership and pioneering customer focused innovation, and this is the latest example,” said John Lauer, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer. “We’re raising the bar with what we believe to be the most comprehensive carrier–led intermodal security program in the market—setting a new standard for cargo protection.
“For key destinations encompassing the majority of our inland intermodal markets, Matson customers will receive these enhanced security measures at no additional charge.
“While no security system can eliminate all risk, these added measures significantly reduce exposure to theft and reinforce Matson’s commitment to protecting customer cargo throughout the inland journey.” Lauer said.
Matson operates the two leading expedited services in the Transpacific trade lane. Its China-Long Beach Express (CLX) and Matson Asia Express (MAX) services each provide weekly departures with industry leading ocean transit times from China and key Southeast Asia origins, as well as unmatched destination services with same or next-day freight availability including 100% wheeled operations at its off-dock container yards.
