Matson Navigation Co. will lower its fuel surcharge for the third time in the past month by the largest percentage point decrease since it was implemented more than nine years ago.

The state's largest ocean shipper said yesterday it will lower the surcharge by 6 percentage points for Hawaii service, to 27 percent from 33 percent, effective Sunday, as a result of rapid declines in fuel prices.

Both Matson and Charlotte, N.C.-based Horizon Lines Inc. announced last week that they would cut their fuel surcharge by 4.5 percentage points to 33 percent from 37.5 percent for Hawaii service last Sunday. Pasha Hawaii Transport Lines cut its rate by 4.5 percentage points, to 30.5 percent from 35 percent, on the same day.

Horizon will not make a decision on whether it also will follow the most recent fuel surcharge decrease until today, an outside company spokeswoman said yesterday.

Reggie Maldonado, general manager of Pasha Hawaii, also said the company was still assessing the rates yesterday.

“;Following an extended period in which oil costs hit historical record highs, it is encouraging to see this downward trend continue to be reflected in the prices the company is now paying for bunker fuel,”; Dave Hoppes, senior vice president of Matson's ocean services, said in a statement.

For most customers, the decrease will cut shipping costs from between $140 and $220 per container, he said.

Matson, a subsidiary of Honolulu-based Alexander & Baldwin Inc., also will lower the fuel surcharge for service to Guam/Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Micronesia by 6 percentage points, to 28.5 percent from 34.5 percent. Matson decreased that fee last week by 4.5 percentage points, to 34.5 percent from 39 percent.

Matson implemented the surcharge in October 1999 at 1.75 percent. On Sept. 21 it implemented its first fuel-surcharge decrease after nine straight increases since Jan. 28, 2007.