SAN DIEGO, July 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Matson, Inc.
(NYSE: MATX), a leading U.S. carrier in the
Pacific, and General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard, christened the
second of two Kanaloa Class vessels, the largest combination
container / roll-on, roll-off ("con-ro") ships ever built in
the United States, in a ceremony
at the NASSCO shipyard in San Diego,
CA on Thursday, July 2,
2020.
The new vessel was christened 'Matsonia,' an iconic name
in Matson's long history, dating to the construction of Matson's
first ship of that name in 1912. Three more ships were given the
name in subsequent years; this vessel will be the fifth.
The new Matsonia is the second of two new ships being
built for Honolulu-based Matson by
NASSCO at a total cost of approximately $500
million for the pair, and the fourth of four new vessels
that Matson will put into service during 2018, 2019 and 2020.
Named in honor of the ocean deity revered in the native
Hawaiian culture, Matson's two "Kanaloa Class" vessels constructed
at the NASSCO shipyard are built on a 3,500 TEU* vessel
platform.
At 870 feet long, 114 feet wide (beam), with a deep draft of 38
feet and weighing in at over 50,000 metric tons, Matsonia
will join Lurline as Matson's largest ships and the largest
con-ro vessels ever constructed in the U.S. They are also
among Matson's fastest vessels, with a top speed of 23 knots,
helping ensure on-time deliveries in Hawaii from Matson's three West Coast
terminals in Seattle, Oakland and Long Beach.
Both new Kanaloa Class vessels will have an enclosed garage with
room for approximately 500 vehicles, plus ample space for rolling
stock and breakbulk cargo. They will also feature state-of-the-art
green technology, including a fuel-efficient hull design,
environmentally safe double hull fuel tanks, fresh water ballast
systems and the first Tier 3 dual fuel engines to be deployed in
containerships regularly serving West Coast ports.
Under the latest International Maritime Organization (IMO)
requirements for engine manufacturers, Tier 3 engines reduce the
levels of particulate emissions by 40 percent and nitrogen oxide
emissions by 20 percent, as compared to Tier 2 standards. Matson's
deployment of Tier 3 engines in both Kanaloa Class vessels is
supported by California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative
that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing
greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving
public health and the environment — particularly in disadvantaged
communities.
"Matson is already benefitting from the speed, capacity and
improved environmental profile of the three new ships we've put
into service since 2018," said Matt
Cox, Matson's chairman and chief executive officer, after
the shipyard ceremony. "Matsonia will be our fourth new
ship, completing a three-year fleet renewal program that positions
us well to serve the needs of our communities in Hawaii for many years to come."
"As a proud U.S. company and Jones Act carrier, our investment
in this new ship is about much more than maintaining a high level
of service to Hawaii. It also helps drive substantial economic
benefits in and opportunities in communities around the Pacific,
where this vessel will operate," Cox said.
"The construction of Matsonia represents over a year's
work for about 2,000 professionals here at NASSCO…engineers,
tradesmen and lots of support people and countless others who
produced the materials used to build this ship that are sourced
here in the U.S. Over its expected lifespan, this ship will
generate approximately 4.5 million man-hours of work opportunity
for the U.S. mariners who will operate it and decades of steady
work for all of the dockworkers and terminal personnel that move
the cargo on and off our ships.
"These are all living wage jobs, supporting the families of
these American workers and the taxes they pay," Cox said, adding,
"Multiply that by all the ships NASSCO and other U.S. shipyards are
building, and you get a sense of the value of the maritime industry
to our country and its economy. In California alone, there are more than 51,000
jobs tied to the American maritime industry, providing over
3.6 billion dollars in labor income
with a total economic impact in the state of more than twelve billion dollars."
Dave Carver, President of General
Dynamics NASSCO, said, "The Matsonia is a reflection of the
highest standards of shipbuilding and we are proud to celebrate her
launching. This extraordinary vessel is a testament to the hard
work, unity and strength of our thousands of dedicated shipbuilders
who made this possible."
Matson invited Peggy Forest, wife
of Matson's President Ron Forest, to
officially christen the vessel by breaking a ceremonial bottle of
champagne against the ship's hull. Immediately after the
bottle was broken, the vessel was released from its build ways and
slid backward into San Diego Bay. Matsonia was then docked
at NASSCO's nearby testing and trials berth, where the final stages
of construction will be completed.
Matson is expected to take delivery of the vessel in the fourth
quarter of 2020.
More information on Matsonia and Matson's fleet
modernization program is available
at: https://www.matson.com/kanaloa-class.html
* Twenty-foot Equivalent Units, the standard unit of measurement
for container capacity
About Matson
Founded in 1882, Matson (NYSE: MATX) is a leading
provider of ocean transportation and logistics
services. Matson provides a vital lifeline to the
domestic non-contiguous economies of Hawaii, Alaska,
and Guam, and to other island economies in
Micronesia. Matson also operates a premium,
expedited service from China to Southern
California and provides services to Okinawa,
Japan and various islands in the South Pacific. The
Company's fleet of owned and chartered vessels includes
containerships, combination container and roll-on/roll-off ships
and custom-designed barges. Matson Logistics, established in
1987, extends the geographic reach
of Matson's transportation network throughout the
continental U.S. Its integrated, asset-light logistics
services include rail intermodal, highway brokerage, warehousing,
freight consolidation, Asia supply chain services, and
forwarding to Alaska. Additional information about the
Company is available at www.matson.com
About General Dynamics NASSCO Shipyard
General Dynamics NASSCO has been designing, building, and
repairing ships since 1960. Today, the company conducts work in
four ports in the United States
and around the world. NASSCO is the largest shipyard on the West
Coast of the United States
conducting design, new construction and repair of ships. In the
past decade, NASSCO delivered more than 30 ocean-going ships to
government and commercial customers—including the world's first
LNG-powered containerships and several other lead ships.
More information about NASSCO can be found at
www.nassco.com.
More information about General Dynamics can be found at
www.generaldynamics.com.
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SOURCE Matson, Inc.