Assembly Begins on Matson’s New "Aloha Class" Ships at Philly Shipyard
Hanwha Philly Shipyard and Matson marked a key milestone in the construction of the first of three new "Aloha Class" containerships as assembly began. The first grand block of the Matson vessel, which is being named Makua, was lowered into the construction dry dock on August 4.
During the event, the first engine room section of the vessel — weighing 420 metric tons — was lowered into the dry dock, marking the official start of hull assembly. Matson placed the order for the ships in November 2022, with steel cutting commencing last September.
"Today's keel laying marks more than the beginning of another great ship — it symbolizes the strength of our ongoing partnership with Matson and our shared commitment to American shipbuilding," remarked David Kim, Hanwha Philly Shipyard CEO.
It is also an important milestone for the yard, which was acquired at the end of 2024 by South Korea’s Hanwha Systems and Hanwha Ocean. The company looks to leverage its expertise in shipbuilding to realize new opportunities in the American market, with this being the first commercial project to start since the change in ownership.
Matson has two previously built containerships of the same class from Philly Shipyard (Matson)
"These new ships are just the latest Jones Act vessels Matson has built with Philly Shipyard over the past 22 years, supporting 1,500 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."
The yard previously built Matson's first two Aloha Class ships, delivered in 2018 and 2019. The Daniel K. Inouye and her sister ship Kaimana Hila were the largest containerships ever built in the U.S. and in 2023 and 2024 were converted to LNG fueled operations. The yard also delivered four new Jones Act containerships for Matson between 2003 and 2006.
The new 854-foot Aloha Class ships will each have a carrying capacity of 3,600 TEU and are designed to operate at speeds exceeding 23 knots, supporting Matson's reputation for fast, reliable delivery across its Hawaii, Guam, and China-Long Beach Express (CLX) trade lanes. The new vessels also feature a more fuel-efficient hull design and dual-fuel engines that will allow operation on liquefied natural gas (LNG) from delivery.
The three new Aloha Class ships will replace three vessels currently deployed in Matson's Hawaii, Guam, and CLX services. The new ships are due to be delivered to Matson in 2027 and 2028.