Container Shipping to Kona
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Container shipping to Kona has one surprise for most people: no container ship docks in Kona. Your household goods land about 35 miles up the coast, then ride a truck south to your door.
This page explains that last leg, from the harbor to Kailua-Kona, the coffee belt, Waikoloa and Ocean View. It also covers the real timing and cost of moving to Kona with a full container.
How Do You Ship a Container to Kona?
We drop an empty container at your mainland home, you fill it, and it sails to Honolulu. It moves to an inter-island barge for the Big Island and comes ashore at Kawaihae Harbor. A driver trucks it down Highway 19 to your Kona address. Most moves take 12 to 20 days door to door.
Why Your Kona Container Lands at Kawaihae
Kona does not have a commercial container harbor. The state runs two commercial harbors on the Big Island: Hilo on the east side and Kawaihae on the northwest coast.
Matson, the ocean carrier we book with, now unloads all of its Big Island cargo at Kawaihae, and East Hawaii deliveries are trucked across the island from there. For Kona, that means a drive south instead of a trip across the island.
From the harbor, the truck heads south on Queen Kaahumanu Highway (Highway 19). The drive is about 35 miles along the coast, past the Kohala resorts and Kona International Airport, into Kailua-Kona.
How the Trip to Kona Works
Your container crosses the Pacific to Honolulu, then finishes the trip on an inter-island barge to Kawaihae. Our guide to the Kawaihae pier walks through each step, from loading day to the harbor pickup.
Your car does not travel in the same box as your furniture. It needs its own booking, which our Hawaii car shipping guide explains.
Delivering a Container Around Kona and West Hawaii
West Hawaii is dry, sunny and built on old lava flows. The roads climb steeply from the ocean, and many lots sit on rough lava rock. Each area below has its own delivery challenge.
Kailua-Kona Town
Homes in Kailua-Kona near Alii Drive and in the subdivisions above town sit on sloped streets with tight turns.
Holualoa
Holualoa is a small coffee village on the slopes above Kailua-Kona. Its main road is the old Mamalahoa Highway (Route 180), which is narrow and full of bends. A smaller container is often easier to place on a tight, sloped lot.
Keauhou
Keauhou sits south of town, around Keauhou Bay and the south end of Alii Drive. Many homes here are in planned communities with their own rules for trucks and containers.
Kealakekua and Captain Cook
This is the Kona coffee belt, along Highway 11 on the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa. Farm driveways are often steep, narrow and unpaved.
Waikoloa Village and the Kohala Resorts
Waikoloa Village sits upslope from the coast, off Waikoloa Road. The Kohala resort area lies along Highway 19, closer to Kawaihae, so the drive from the harbor is short.
Resort communities and many subdivisions have association rules on delivery hours, parking and how long a container can stay. Get written approval before delivery day.
Ocean View
Ocean View is a remote community in Kau, well south of Kona on Highway 11. Its subdivision is laced with miles of private roads, and some are steep, rough or unpaved. Give us your exact Kona-side address, and we will check the road in and the best container size first.
If your home is on the east side instead, see shipping to Hilo for that side of the island.
Heat, Lava Rock and Your Delivery Day
Afternoon sun heats a steel box fast, so plan to unload in the morning.
Check these before the truck arrives:
- Ground. A driveway or level gravel pad works best. Loose lava rock or a steep slope can stop the drop.
- Clearance. Look for low wires, tree branches and tight turns on the way in.
- Street parking. If the container must sit on a county road, check with Hawaii County first.
- Door direction. Decide which way the doors should face so you can unload straight into the house.
Timing and Cost for Kona Deliveries
Most Kona moves take 12 to 20 days door to door, and longer routes can run to about 25. The Honolulu transfer to the inter-island barge is what puts the Big Island toward the longer end.
A full container you load and unload yourself costs about $10,000 to $20,000. The size of the box and your mainland starting point move the price most. Our Big Island container shipping page covers the whole island.
Picking a Container Size
We ship 20ft, 40ft, 40ft high cube and 45ft containers. Every box is exclusive use, so we never mix your goods with another shipper’s freight. See how much fits in each on our container size chart.
We are not a local Kona moving company, so we do not handle moves across town. We handle the full container from your mainland door to your Kona door. If you are still planning, our Big Island relocation guide covers housing, driving and settling in.
Karen Danino, who owns Hawaiian Movers, coordinates every Kona booking. We hold USDOT 4024631, MC 1518931 and SCAC HWMI, our drivers carry TWIC cards, and we are UIIA approved. We also accept shipper-owned containers.
What Kona Customers Say
“Nicole at Hawaiian movers is great! She arranged our first, completely full, container from the mainland all the way from getting it delivered to our storage unit in Washington, giving great advice on timing.”
★★★★★ Nigel Keam, Washington to Kona, verified Google review
“I’m overjoyed as to the service we received from Hawaiian movers! Nichole was in contact with us from the beginning to the end! She made the whole move from Washington State to Kona Hawaii smooth.”
★★★★★ Sheryl Mattheis, Washington State to Kona, verified Google review
“Nicole was super helpful and understanding to my needs and concerns. I moved from Denver to Big Island Hawaii. Everything worked out great.”
★★★★★ lyle hansberger, Denver to the Big Island, verified Google review
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you deliver a shipping container to Holualoa or the Kona coffee belt?
Delivering a shipping container to Holualoa or the Kona coffee belt depends on the road and the lot. Holualoa sits on the narrow, winding Mamalahoa Highway (Route 180) above Kailua-Kona. Farms in Kealakekua and Captain Cook, along Highway 11, often have steep, unpaved driveways. A smaller box usually fits a tight lava-rock lot more easily. Give us your exact Kona-side address, and we will check the road in and the best container size first.
Can a container be delivered to Waikoloa Village?
Delivering a container to Waikoloa Village starts with your association. The village sits upslope from the Kohala Coast off Waikoloa Road, and it is one of the closer West Hawaii areas to Kawaihae Harbor. Many homes there fall under association rules on containers, parking and how long a box can stay, so get written approval first. Then give us your exact Kona-side address, and we will check the road in and the best container size first.
Where does a container come ashore for Kona?
A container for Kona comes ashore at Kawaihae Harbor on the northwest coast of the Big Island. Kona has no commercial container harbor of its own. Matson, the ocean carrier we book with, unloads its Big Island cargo at Kawaihae. From there, a driver with a TWIC card trucks your container about 35 miles south on Highway 19 to Kailua-Kona and beyond.
Can you deliver to Ocean View?
Delivering to Ocean View depends on your street and lot. Ocean View is a remote Kau community well south of Kona on Highway 11. Its subdivision runs on miles of private roads, and some are steep, rough or unpaved. A truck and chassis need firm, level ground and room to turn. Give us your exact Kona-side address, and we will check the road in and the best container size first.
Ready to Book Container Shipping to Kona?
Call 800-671-0924 for a quote on a full container to Kona, Waikoloa, the coffee belt or anywhere in West Hawaii. We will arrange the Kawaihae pickup and the drive to your door.
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