Matson’s $1bn Fleet Gamble: Why 3,600-TEU Giants Are Reshaping Pacific
Matson christens the first of three 850-foot dual-fuel containerships.
The first of three new Aloha-class containerships for Matson was officially named Makua during a ceremony at Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia on October 10. The event marked a key milestone in the company’s $1 billion fleet expansion and modernization program, which includes the construction of three vessels designed to enhance capacity and efficiency in Matson’s Hawaii and China-Long Beach Express services.
The new ships, each measuring 850 feet long with a capacity of 3,600 TEU and 408 reefer slots, are built to match the size and speed of Matson’s existing Aloha-class vessels, Daniel K. Inouye and Kaimana Hila, which entered service in 2018 and 2019. With a top speed of 24 knots, the new containerships feature dual-fuel engines capable of running on conventional marine fuels or liquefied natural gas (LNG), along with other environmentally focused technologies, including fuel-efficient hull designs, double-hull fuel tanks, and freshwater ballast systems.
Matson Christens First of Three New Aloha-Class Containerships
Matson’s chairman and CEO, Matt Cox, highlighted the strategic value of the newbuilds, stating that the addition of the three ships over the next 18 months would “improve operating efficiencies and reliability, and increase capacity in our core Hawaii service, as well as our China-Long Beach Express service.”
Matson
The christening ceremony was attended by approximately 300 guests, including U.S. Maritime Administration Deputy Administrator Mark Johnson, Matson and Hanwha executives, shipyard workers, and union leaders. Matson board member Jenai Wall officiated the naming of the Makua, which is scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2027.
Construction of the vessel began in August 2025, while assembly of the second ship, Malama, started in May 2026. Steel cutting for the third vessel, Makena, is already underway, with deliveries planned for the third quarter of 2027 and second quarter of 2028, respectively.
Fleet Modernization and Future Projects
The three new Aloha-class ships will replace older vessels currently deployed in Matson’s Hawaii and China-Long Beach Express routes. Those older ships, in turn, will be reassigned to Alaska service, introducing larger and faster vessels to that trade lane.
Meanwhile, Hanwha Philly Shipyard is also completing work on the Golden State, the last of the Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) training ships. The yard has additionally secured a contract to build the Missile Defense Agency’s new Missile Range Instrumentation Vessel (MRIV), with delivery expected in 2030. The MRIV project, managed by TOTE Services, will replace the aging Pacific Tracker and Pacific Collector, which have supported missile range instrumentation missions since the 1960s and 1970s.
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