Matson, Hanwha Philly Shipyard mark Aloha Class ship construction milestone
Published by Jessica Casey,
Editor
LNG Industry,
Hanwha Philly Shipyard, Inc. (HPSI), a wholly-owned US subsidiary of Hanwha Systems and Hanwha Ocean, and Matson, Inc., a leading US carrier in the Pacific, have marked a milestone in the construction of the first of three new Aloha Class containerships to be delivered to Matson in 2027 and 2028. Matson plans to deploy the new vessels in its Hawaii, Guam, and China-Long Beach Express (CLX) services.
During the event, the first engine room section of the vessel – weighing 420 t – was lowered into the dry dock, marking the official start of hull assembly. In keeping with maritime tradition, senior executives from both companies placed ceremonial coins beneath the section to invoke good fortune and safe passage for the ship.
The ceremony, which marks the lowering of the first ‘grand block’ segment of a new vessel's hull into the construction dry dock, was attended by a team of Matson executives led by Capt. Jack Sullivan, Senior Vice President of Vessel Operations & Engineering, and Archibald Morgan, Vice President of New Construction and Marine Engineering at Matson, along with HPSI representatives David Kim, CEO, and John Bond, Project Director and NSMV Program Manager.
“These new ships are just the latest Jones Act vessels Matson has built with Philly Shipyard over the past 22 years, supporting 1500 jobs for skilled American workers and providing additional opportunities for American mariners,” said Matt Cox, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Matson.
“Our existing Aloha Class ships are among the fastest, most efficient vessels in the Matson fleet,” added Cox. “These new vessels will expand Matson's Jones Act fleet and enhance our service capabilities in the Asia-US trade lane, while providing additional capacity and speed benefitting customers of our Hawaii and Guam services.”
The 854-ft Aloha Class ships will each have a carrying capacity of 3600 TEU and are designed to operate at speeds exceeding 23 knots, supporting Matson's reputation for fast, reliable delivery across its Hawaii, Guam, and CLX trade lanes. The new vessels also feature a more fuel-efficient hull design and dual-fuel engines that will allow operation on LNG from delivery.
The three new Aloha Class ships will replace three vessels currently deployed in Matson's Hawaii, Guam, and CLX services.
The company plans to name the new containerships Makua, Malama, and Makena, names originally used for three freighters in the WWI era. Makua (‘mah-KOO-ah’) is a Hawaiian word meaning parent, elder, ancestor, or family.
“Today's keel laying marks more than the beginning of another great ship – it symbolises the strength of our ongoing partnership with Matson and our shared commitment to American shipbuilding,” remarked David Kim, Hanwha Philly Shipyard CEO. “We're honoured that Matson has entrusted us with three series of ships, and we remain committed to excellence with every block.”
Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/small-scale-lng/08082025/matson-hanwha-philly-shipyard-mark-aloha-class-ship-construction-milestone/