Philadelphia – October 12, 2026 -- Matson, Inc. (NYSE: MATX) and Hanwha Philly Shipyard, Inc. (HPSI) christened 'Makua' on October 10, the first of three Jones Act-compliant containerships worth approximately $1 billion in total, with delivery scheduled for the first quarter of 2027.
Three newbuilds will replace three vessels in Hawaii and CLX services
The ships are being built for Matson's China-Long Beach Express (CLX) and Hawaii services. They will replace three vessels currently deployed on those routes. The second ship is scheduled for delivery in the third quarter of 2027, and the third is expected in the second quarter of 2028.
Matson Chairman and CEO Matt Cox said the three additions over the next 18 months will improve operating efficiencies and reliability and increase capacity in the Hawaii and CLX services.
New ships match the size and speed of the two existing Aloha Class vessels
The vessels are designed to match Matson's Aloha Class ships Daniel K. Inouye and Kaimana Hila, also built by HPSI. Those ships entered service in 2018 and 2019 as the largest containerships ever constructed in the U.S.
Each Aloha Class vessel is 850 feet long, weighs over 51,400 metric tons and has a capacity of 3,600 TEU. They are Matson's fastest ships, with a top speed of nearly 24 knots.
Dual-fuel engines arrive LNG-ready, unlike earlier ships that needed modification
The new vessels carry dual-fuel engines that run on conventional marine fuels or liquefied natural gas (LNG). Other features include a fuel-efficient hull design, double hull fuel tanks and freshwater ballast systems. The earlier ships required some modification to operate on LNG, while the new ones will be delivered LNG-ready.
Shipbuilding supports hundreds of yard jobs and 2,500 mariner positions per vessel
Cox said construction supports hundreds of shipyard jobs. He added that each ship will provide more than 2,500 job opportunities for U.S. mariners over its lifespan.
Roughly 300 attendees joined the ceremony at the Philadelphia yard. They included U.S. Maritime Administration Deputy Administrator Mark Johnson, Matson and HPSI executives, shipyard workers and union leaders. U.S. Transportation Command Deputy Commander Lt. General Jered P. Helwig spoke. Matson board member Jenai Wall christened the vessel.
HPSI has delivered six Matson containerships since 2003
HPSI delivered four newly built Jones Act containerships for Matson between 2003 and 2006, before the two Aloha Class ships. HPSI CEO David Kim said the partnership spans generations of vessels.
Matson will name the other two ships Malama and Makena. The names revive those of freighters commissioned by the United States Shipping Board during World War I, which Matson purchased in the 1920s and operated for the following two decades.