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Matson Christens First Vessel From $1B Shipyard Contract

Matson christened the containership Makua at Hanwha Philly Shipyard on Oct. 10, marking a milestone in its roughly $1 billion investment in three new vessels for Hawaii and China-Long Beach Express services. The 850-foot ship will carry 3,600 twenty-foot equivalent units at speeds reaching nearly 24 knots, with delivery scheduled for first quarter 2027. The Aloha Class vessels will replace current deployments while boosting capacity and operational reliability across both trade lanes. Two additional ships—Malama and Makena—will be delivered in third quarter 2027 and second quarter 2028, respectively. The new containerships feature dual-fuel engines capable of running on conventional marine fuel or liquefied natural gas. They also include fuel-efficient hull designs and double-hull fuel tanks. Matson board member Jenai Wall christened the vessel by breaking a ceremonial bottle of champagne against its hull. Approximately 300 attendees witnessed the ceremony, including shipyard workers, union leaders, and U.S. Maritime Administration officials.