As if rising gasoline prices, higher electric bills and soaring housing costs weren't enough, Hawai'i consumers could see prices on many store-bought goods climb early next year.

Matson Navigation Co., the state's largest shipping company, said yesterday it is raising its basic rate 3.9 percent. Matson said the increase translates into only 2/10ths of a cent rise in the cost of a can of soda or half a cent more for a head of lettuce and is needed to pay for new, modern ships.

But for consumers already burdened by a 16 percent jump in gasoline costs in the past year and a similar increase in electric rates, the higher shipping costs will hardly be welcomed.

"A couple of dollars here and a couple of dollars there and it all adds up," said Pat Banning, owner of BookEnds bookstore in Kailua. "All of the sudden you are paying $20 for a book instead of $15."

The rate hike follows three Matson increases earlier this year to reflect higher fuel costs. The company upped its fuel surcharge from 9.2 percent to 10.5 percent in April then to 11.5 percent in July and then to 13 percent last month after Hurricane Katrina disrupted oil production in the Gulf of Mexico.

Horizon Lines, which has about 35 percent of the local shipping market, does not have a rate increase planned at this time.

About 80 percent of all goods sold in Hawai'i come via ship, and consumers are likely to pick up most of the added cost.

"Generally in retail, when there's a cost increase, our profit margins get thinner or we have to pass on the costs to consumers," said Paul Kosasa, chief executive officer of ABC Stores, which operates 65 convenience stores in Hawai'i.

Tim Hatfield, operations manager for City Mill, said the rate hike will add thousands of dollars to the company's weekly shipping costs and may force the company to pass along some of those new expenses to consumers.

Hatfield said most of City Mill's merchandise, which includes building supplies, furniture, tools and garden supplies, are shipped here from the Mainland. Until now, increases in the shipping cost were absorbed by the company to compete with larger competitors such as Home Depot and Lowe's Home Improvement.

"For a long time, we've had to absorb all of those costs but small independent companies can't do that forever," added Carol Ai May, City Mill vice president. "We price everything competitively and sometimes we have to eat it but sometimes we have to pass it on."

The proposed rate would raise the cost of shipping a container from the West Coast to Hawai'i by $125.

Matson — which plans to file the new rates with the federal Surface Transportation Board — said the increase will partly pay for its $500 million-plus investment in new container ships for its Mainland to Hawai'i service.

Matson acquired two of the container ships — the MV Manukai and MV Maunawili — in 2002 for $220 million and put them into service in 2003 and 2004.

The company paid another $300 million for the MV Maunalani and the MV Maunalei last year. The Maunalani began service earlier this year and the Maunalei will be delivered next year.

"This rate increase will help offset rises in contractual operating costs and support a number of investments in our Hawai'i service," said James Andrasick, Matson's president and chief executive officer.

Reach Rick Daysog at rdaysog@honoluluadvertiser.com.