Matson christens 1st new vessel of $1B US shipyard order
Matson christened Makua in Philadelphia, the first of three new containerships in its $1 billion fleet upgrade. The post Matson christens 1st new vessel of $1B US shipyard order appeared first on FreightWaves .
On October 10, Matson christened its first new vessel as part of a $1 billion investment in three new ships for its Hawaii and China–Long Beach Express services. The ceremony took place at the Hanwha Philly Shipyard, marking a significant milestone in the company's commitment to enhancing capacity, operating efficiency, and reliability.
The 850-foot, 3,600 twenty-foot equivalent unit ship is named Makua, and its delivery is slated for the first quarter of 2027. Matson's Chairman and CEO, Matt Cox, expressed excitement about the improved operating efficiencies and reliability that the new vessel will bring to the company's services. The three new Aloha Class ships will replace older vessels currently serving the two services while increasing capacity and improving operational performance.
Hanwha Philly Shipyard CEO David Kim emphasized the company's long-standing partnership with Matson, dating back to the shipyard's early days. The new ship will have dual-fuel engines capable of running on conventional marine fuels or liquefied natural gas, making it LNG-ready, unlike its predecessors. Matson plans to christen the remaining vessels, Malama and Makena, with deliveries scheduled for the third quarter of 2027 and the second quarter of 2028, respectively.
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