Matson marked two milestones in its fleet renewal program with the start of hull assembly for the second of three new LNG-powered Aloha Class containerships, designed for its Hawaii and China-Long Beach Express (CLX) services, and the start of construction for its third new vessel at Hanwha Philly Shipyard, Inc. (HSPI) in Pennsylvania.
Following a ceremony at the shipyard to commemorate the drydocking of the first block of the second new vessel, the cutting of steel plates proceeded to begin construction work on the third vessel.
The three new Jones Act-compliant vessels, representing an investment of approximately $1 billion, will match the size and speed of Matson’s two existing Aloha Class vessels, the Daniel K. Inouye and the Kaimana Hila, which entered service in 2018 and 2019, respectively, as the largest containerships built in the United States.
Matson expects to take delivery of the first new vessel in the first quarter of 2027, with subsequent deliveries in the third quarter of 2027 and the second quarter of 2028, respectively.
With a cargo capacity of 3,600 TEU, the 854-foot-long Aloha Class vessels are designed to operate at speeds exceeding 23 knots, consistent with the hallmark of Matson’s service: fast and reliable delivery of goods, while incorporating the latest energy-efficient technologies to improve operational efficiency and reduce environmental impact.
The three new Aloha Class vessels will replace three vessels currently deployed in Matson’s Hawaii and CLX services.
HPSI is a leading U.S. commercial shipyard that builds vessels for operation on domestic trade routes governed by the Jones Act.
Prior to Matson’s current Aloha L Class project, the shipyard delivered four Jones Act-compliant containerships for Matson between 2003 and 2006, and two additional containerships in 2018 and 2019, which were the first Aloha Class vessels.
