Matson Christens New Container Ship at Philly Shipyard

Kaimana Hila, the newest containership to join the Matson Navigation Company, Inc. (Matson) fleet, was christened in a ceremony on Saturday, 9 March 2019. At 3,600 TEUs, the "Aloha Class" vessel soon to be delivered from Philly Shipyard, Inc. (Philly Shipyard) is the largest containership ever built in the U.S. 

"It's a great honor to have partnered with Philly Shipyard and Matson in this historic project," says Antony DSouza, DNV GL Maritime EVP & Regional Manager Americas. "The Aloha Class design employs some of the latest environmentally friendly technology available on the market. Kaimana Hila and the previously delivered Daniel K. Inouye demonstrate the strength of U.S. Shipbuilding and the U.S.-flagged operator's commitment to supplying efficient, effective and environmentally sound ocean transportation to the U.S. market."

The Aloha Class design features dual-fuel engines with liquefied natural gas (LNG) capability, double hull fuel tanks, fresh water ballast systems, and a more fuel-efficient hull design. Constructed specifically to satisfy the future freight demands of Hawaii, the vessels bear increased cargo capacity, with the ability to accommodate a diversified mix of cargoes. The ship is delivered with class notation, Hull: 100 A5 Container ship BWM (D2) DG Gas ready (AEI, D, MEI, P, S) IW LC NAV-INS RSD; Machinery: MC AUT EP-D.

“The delivery of Kaimana Hila marks the culmination of more than 15 years of close co-operation between DNV GL, Matson and Philly Shipyard. DNV GL's technical expertise and broad experience was invaluable during the construction of the Aloha Class vessels and played an important role in the successful completion of these historic deliveries,” said John Bond, Sr. Project Manager at Philly Shipyard.

After leaving the shipyard and transiting to the west coast of the United States, Kaimana Hila will join Matson’s existing fleet in transporting goods to Hawaii from the company’s three West Coast terminals in Seattle, Oakland and Long Beach.