Represents the number of cities effected by contract agreement.

No definition available.

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- Definition

Represents the number of misdemeanor counts of violations of Section 407 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, "Refuse Act", accepted by the entity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Represents the number of employee of the entity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	matx_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
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- Definition

Represents the number of employee that were covered by collective bargaining agreements with unions.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	matx_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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- Definition

Represents the number of employee that were covered by collective bargaining agreements with unions that were subject to collective bargaining agreements that expired in current year, and are now operating without a contract.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the number of misdemeanor counts of violations of Section 407 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, "Refuse Act"

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	matx_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the number of subpoenas received from the Hawaii Attorney General by the entity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	matx_NumberOfSubpoenasReceived
Namespace Prefix:	matx_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the amount of the penalty for violations of Section 407 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, "Refuse Act".

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	matx_PenaltyPayment
Namespace Prefix:	matx_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the amount of the penalty for violations of Section 407 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, "Refuse Act" in the form of a community service payment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	matx_PenaltyPaymentCommunityServicePayments
Namespace Prefix:	matx_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the amount of the penalty for violations of Section 407 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, "Refuse Act" in the form of a fine.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	matx_PenaltyPaymentFine
Namespace Prefix:	matx_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Period the contract is outstanding, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	matx_TermOfContract
Namespace Prefix:	matx_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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Balance Type:	na
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- Definition

Amount borrowed under the credit facility as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 22

-Article 5

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- Definition

Amount of loss contingency liability expected to be resolved within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 450

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14326-108349

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- Definition

Amount of the obligation recognized by withdrawing from a pension or postretirement benefit plan to which two or more unrelated employers contribute where assets contributed by one participating employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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- Definition

The aggregate carrying amount, as of the balance sheet date, of liabilities not separately disclosed in the balance sheet.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 15

-Article 9

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.15)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	0 Months Ended
	Feb. 20, 2015 city	Dec. 31, 2014 employee	Oct. 21, 2014 item	Apr. 30, 2014 item	Dec. 31, 2013
Commitments, Guarantees and Contingencies
Commitments and financial arrangements		$ 6.0
Commitments and financial arrangements		20.6
Multiemployer Plan Withdrawal Obligation recorded		0			0
Number of employees		1,056matx_NumberOfEmployee
Number of employee part of collective bargaining agreements		285
Number of employee part of expired collective bargaining agreements		252
Environmental Matters
Number of subpoenas received from the Hawaii Attorney General				2matx_NumberOfSubpoenasReceived
Number of misdemeanor charges of violations of refuse act			2
Number of counts of violating the refuse act accepted			2
Penalty payment			1.0matx_PenaltyPayment
Penalty payment in the form of a fine			0.4matx_PenaltyPaymentFine
Penalty payment in the form of a community service payment			0.6
Accrued and other liabilities		1.0us-gaap_OtherLiabilities
Subsequent event
Commitments, Guarantees and Contingencies
Term Of Contract	5 years
Number of cities	29
Standby letters of credit
Commitments, Guarantees and Contingencies
Commitments and financial arrangements		1.2
Benefit plan withdrawal obligations
Commitments, Guarantees and Contingencies
Multiemployer Plan Withdrawal Obligation recorded		94.8
Self-insured workers' compensation and other insurance
Commitments, Guarantees and Contingencies
Commitments and financial arrangements		4.8
U.S. Custom bonds
Commitments, Guarantees and Contingencies
Commitments and financial arrangements		19.2
Transportation and other bonds
Commitments, Guarantees and Contingencies
Commitments and financial arrangements		$ 1.4