Container Shipping to Kawaihae
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Container shipping to Kawaihae means your household goods come ashore at a small working harbor on the Big Island’s dry northwest coast. Here is what happens at the harbor, which roads the truck takes, and what to expect at your door.
How Does a Moving Container Get to Kawaihae Harbor?
We deliver full household containers through Kawaihae Harbor on the Big Island. Your container sails to Honolulu, transfers to an inter-island vessel, and is unloaded at Kawaihae. A driver with a TWIC card then trucks it to your door. Door to door takes about 12 to 20 days, and longer routes can run to about 25.
What Is Kawaihae Harbor?
Kawaihae Harbor is a state commercial harbor on the northwest coast of Hawaii Island, in the South Kohala district. It sits in the town of Kawaihae, about 35 miles north of Kailua-Kona.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredged the basin and built the breakwater between 1957 and 1959. Today the Hawaii Department of Transportation Harbors Division runs it as one of the island’s two main commercial ports, alongside Hilo.
The harbor holds a cargo terminal, a fuel depot, a military landing site and a small boat harbor. Just south of it stands Puukohola Heiau, a national historic site built by Kamehameha I in the 1790s.
Why Big Island Containers Arrive at Kawaihae
A state environmental assessment for the harbor reports that since 2021, Matson, the ocean carrier we book with, has discharged its Big Island cargo only at Kawaihae.
Before that, barges called at both Hilo and Kawaihae. Containers for East Hawaii are now trucked across the island from Kawaihae.
The state plans about $50 million in upgrades, including a rebuilt cargo yard and a new turn lane at the harbor’s main gate.
Moving to the east side? See our page on shipping a container to Hilo.
How Your Container Moves Through Kawaihae
Every Big Island container goes through Honolulu first.
Step by Step, From the Mainland to Your Driveway
- Ocean crossing. Your sealed container sails to Honolulu. That takes about 4 days from Long Beach, 5 from Oakland and 6 from Tacoma.
- Honolulu transfer. The container is moved at the terminal onto an inter-island barge bound for the Big Island. Our guide to Honolulu container shipping explains the hub side of the trip.
- Arrival at Kawaihae. The barge is unloaded and your container waits in the yard until the carrier releases it.
- Drayage out. A driver with a TWIC card collects it on a chassis and trucks it to your address.
Timing and Cost
Port to port, the trip to Honolulu takes about 7 to 10 days with terminal time. The inter-island connection puts Big Island moves toward the longer end of our 12 to 20 day door to door range, and longer routes can reach about 25 days.
A full container from the mainland typically costs $10,000 to $20,000 when you load and unload it yourself.
Three Roads Out of the Harbor
Note that Highway 19 goes both uphill and south, under two names.
- Kawaihae Road (Highway 19) climbs east from the coast, up through the pastures to Waimea.
- Akoni Pule Highway (Highway 270) runs north along the coast to Hawi and Kapaau, and ends at the Pololu Valley lookout.
- Queen Kaahumanu Highway (also Highway 19) heads south past the Kohala Coast resorts toward Kona, which our page on container shipping to Kona covers in detail.
Delivering a Container Around Kawaihae
The coast near Kawaihae is one of the driest places on the island, while the slopes of Kohala Mountain above it get far more rain.
Waimea (Kamuela)
Waimea sits at about 2,670 feet, up Kawaihae Road from the harbor. It is cool for Hawaii, with average temperatures in the 60s, morning mist and frequent light rain.
Parker Ranch surrounds the town, and many homes sit on large lots with long driveways.
For a Waimea delivery, plan for these:
- Wet ground. Grass and dirt can turn soft after rain, and a loaded container needs firm footing.
- Long or gated driveways. Tell us about gates, cattle guards and tight turns before the truck arrives.
Kohala Coast Resort Communities
South of the harbor, Queen Kaahumanu Highway passes the resort areas at Mauna Kea, Mauna Lani and Waikoloa. The weather here is the opposite of Waimea: hot, sunny and dry.
Many homes here follow association rules, so ask your association about delivery hours and where a container may park before we schedule the truck.
North Kohala: Hawi and Kapaau
Akoni Pule Highway runs north to the small towns of Hawi and Kapaau. The last stretch is rural, with narrower roads and older lots.
Tell us about narrow lanes, low branches and tight turns before delivery day. You can compare container sizes and dimensions to pick a box that fits your lot.
What Ships Through Kawaihae With Us
We ship exclusive-use full containers only: 20ft, 40ft, 40ft high cube and 45ft. You can load it yourself or hire a crew to load it.
The container is yours alone, so we do not take shared, partial or pallet loads. Your car ships on its own rather than inside the box, as our guide to shipping a car to Hawaii explains.
Who Coordinates Your Big Island Shipment
Your move is coordinated by Karen Danino, who owns Hawaiian Movers. She coordinates the ocean and inter-island legs and the harbor pickup.
Our registrations are USDOT 4024631, MC 1518931 and SCAC code HWMI. We are UIIA approved, and shipper-owned containers are welcome.
What Kawaihae Customers Say
“Nicole was outstanding in coordinating all of the details and providing regular status updates associated with our move from the east coast to the big island.”
★★★★★ Timothy Stevens, East Coast to the Big Island, verified Google review
“Unbelievable service with Hawaiian Movers! Nicole is experienced and an expert in her role! The move from the West Coast to a rural Hawaiian island was smooth, efficient, and affordable.”
★★★★★ Jamie Crompton, West Coast to a rural Hawaiian island, verified Google review
“Nicole was very hands-on and guided us every step of the way. She answered our questions almost as soon as I hit Send. There are many intricacies about moving overseas and Hawaiian Movers were extremely efficient and definitely exceeded our expectations.”
★★★★★ Cynthia Kubiak, mainland to Hawaii, verified Google review
Frequently Asked Questions
Which island is Kawaihae Harbor on?
Kawaihae Harbor is on Hawaii Island, which most people call the Big Island. It sits on the northwest coast in the South Kohala district, in the small town of Kawaihae. The harbor is one of the island’s two main commercial ports, along with Hilo. For people moving to the Big Island, Kawaihae is where household containers come ashore after the barge trip from Honolulu. From there, trucks carry them to homes across the island.
How far is Kawaihae from Kona?
Kawaihae is about 35 miles north of Kailua-Kona. The drive follows Queen Kaahumanu Highway (Highway 19) along the dry lava coast, past the Kohala Coast resorts. For a moving container, that distance matters because every Kona delivery starts at the Kawaihae yard. A driver picks up the container at the harbor and trucks it south to your address. Homes in Waimea and North Kohala sit much closer to the harbor.
Can you deliver a container from Kawaihae to Waimea or Hawi?
Delivering a container from Kawaihae to Waimea or Hawi depends on the exact address, so tell us your full address and we will check the route and container size before you book. Waimea is uphill on Highway 19 (Kawaihae Road), in cool, often wet ranch country, where firm ground and clear gates help. Hawi is north on Highway 270 (Akoni Pule Highway), where the roads are rural and narrower. On a narrow ranch road or tight lot, a smaller container is often easier to place.
What is the Kawaihae Harbor cargo yard like?
The Kawaihae Harbor cargo yard is a secure, working container yard run by the state Harbors Division. A state environmental assessment describes a busy yard with limited space, aging pavement and traffic at the main gate on Kawaihae Road. The state plans to rebuild parts of the yard with reinforced concrete, add taller LED lighting and fire protection, and build a turn lane at the gate. Matson unloads its Big Island barges at Pier 2B.
Do I have to pick up my container at Kawaihae Harbor?
No, you do not have to pick up your container at Kawaihae Harbor yourself, because our service is door to door. The cargo yard is a secure port terminal, and federal rules require a TWIC card for unescorted access to secure port areas. Our drivers hold TWIC cards, and we are UIIA approved, the standard interchange agreement for pulling a carrier’s container. A driver collects the container on a chassis and trucks it to your address.
Ready to Book Container Shipping to Kawaihae?
Tell us your mainland pickup address and your Big Island delivery address, and we will map out the route through the harbor. Call 800-671-0924 for a quote.
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