AmericasContainers

Matson orders two new vessels for $511m

US container carrier Matson announced on Thursday that its subsidiary Matson Navigation has ordered two new combination container and roro (ConRo) vessels for a total cost of $511m.

The deal is with General Dynamics NASSCO and delivery is expected by the end of 2019 and by mid 2020. Each ship will be 869ft long and 115ft wide.

Honolulu-based boxline Matson specializes in Pacific routes, primarily to Hawaii but also to Alaska, Guam, Micronesia and Alaska, Guam, Micronesia and some South Pacific islands.

These two new orders will be for its Hawaiian fleet and the company is calling them Kanaloa class in a nod to a sea god in the traditional religion of Hawaii.

Donal Scully

With 28 years experience writing and editing for newspapers in the UK and Hong Kong, Donal is now based in California from where he covers the Americas for Splash as well as ensuring the site is loaded through the Western Hemisphere timezone.

Comments

    1. Where in The H– Is Matson buying these ship from??? Are they gold plated? With A Parking lot of Bulk Carriers, Tankers Ro/Ro, LPG Tankers, Container, Multi-Purpose Ships in the World, You could have your prick and pie at same time. What is Management at Matson thinking of spending $511M??? Have they lost their minds, Do they want to end up like Horizon Lines??? Because that the direction they are going with this plan!

    1. yes u r correct, for a moment I failed to realise that Matson operates in a Jones Act jurisdiction, hence the times multiple cost compared to SA Asean builds

  1. Yes, many local people (and mainland US) stunned by cost. Though admittedly, they know little (if anything) about our industry at all. Sad for the only island state in USA. First problem is Matson always does “custom one off” shipbuilding. THE most expensive way to build ships. Their existing fleet has a few of one type ship/hull, but little continuity in design. Second, why didn’t they go to another yard and purchase similar type of CON-ROs already being built? They might have saved millions in simply customizing existing design to tailor box stow to their own trade. TOTE/Crowley already paid for work with design and engineering. Matson could have tailored details to suit their needs. Third, details are sketchy right now. In the past, Matson CON-RO’s never had their own ramp. like a typical car ship design. They always relied on terminal ramp shoreside in place to work ship. No flexibility with this design. Ship with a ramp, goes where cargo is. Ship with no ramp committed to one pier in harbor. We al hope new ships will have a dedicated ramp built in.

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