Shipping company Matson announced construction updates on its three Aloha-class vessels under construction at Hanwha Philly Shipyard, Philadelphia. The shipyard has begun hull assembly on the second of three LNG-powered Aloha-class containerships and started construction on the third vessel in the series.
The shipyard held a ceremony to mark the dock mounting of the first grand block assembly for the second vessel, followed by a steel-cutting ceremony for the third ship in the series. During the steel-cutting event, Matson vessel engineering manager Dan Massoni started the shipyard’s plasma cutter on the first steel plate.
A Matson press release noted the three Jones Act-compliant containerships represent an approximately $1 billion investment by Matson and are intended for the company’s Hawaii and China-Long Beach Express services.
The vessels will match the size and speed of Matson’s existing Aloha-class containerships, Daniel K. Inouye and Kaimana Hila, which entered service in 2018 and 2019 and were the largest containerships built in the United States at the time of delivery.
Matson said the first vessel is expected to be delivered in the first quarter of 2027, followed by the second vessel in the third quarter of 2027 and the third vessel in the second quarter of 2028.
The 854' vessels will each have a capacity of 3,600 TEU and are designed to operate at speeds exceeding 23 knots. According to Matson, the ships will incorporate energy-efficient technologies intended to improve operational efficiency and reduce environmental impact.
The new vessels will replace three ships currently operating in Matson’s Hawaii and CLX services.
Prior to the current Aloha-class program, Hanwha Philly Shipyard delivered four Jones Act containerships to Matson between 2003 and 2006, along with the two original Aloha-class vessels delivered in 2018 and 2019.
