Putting four new ships into service in a three-year span is a significant accomplishment that culminates eight years of planning, project management and coordination for teams across many departments at Matson. Together with the modernization and expansion of our Honolulu terminal, these investments position Matson to provide efficient, reliable service to Hawaii for decades to come," stated Matt Cox, chairman and CEO.

Matson's two new American-designed container ships, the Daniel K. Inouye and Kaimana Hila - both the largest ships of their kind in the Jones Act fleet - are the largest vessels of the kind ever built in the United States, and they join Matson.

With a beam of 114 feet and a draft of 38 feet, the Matsonia and Lurline are 870 feet long. They have an enclosed garage with room for approximately 500 cars, plus rolling stock and breakbulk cargo space. Since January 2020, Lurline has been in operations.

In 2018 and 2019, Philly Shipyard supplied Matson's latest Panamax containerships, Daniel K. Inouye and Kaimana Hila. Each has a capacity of 3,600 TEU.

With double-hull fuel tanks, LNG-capable engines and freshwater ballast systems, all four of the new ships were constructed. They are also the fastest Matson boats, capable of running at or above 23 knots.

The majority of the $1 billion investment Matson has placed into its Hawaii operation is made up of these four boats. Matson is also investing more than $60 million on upgrades to its main terminal at Sand Island in Honolulu, in addition to the $930 million shipbuilding program.

Maritime Business World