Matson, Inc. and Hanwha Philly Shipyard, Inc. today marked a major construction milestone for the first of three new Aloha Class containerships to be delivered in 2027 and 2028, according to Matson's release.
During the dock‑mounting ceremony at Hanwha Philly Shipyard’s dry dock, the first engine room section weighing 420 metric tons was lowered into place, formally initiating hull assembly.
Matt Cox, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Matson, noted that “These new ships are just the latest Jones Act vessels Matson has built with Philly Shipyard over the past 22 years, supporting 1,500 jobs for skilled American workers and providing additional opportunities for American mariners.”
Each 854‑foot Aloha Class ship will carry 3,600 TEU and operate at speeds exceeding 23 knots. The new vessels feature a more fuel‑efficient hull and dual‑fuel engines allowing LNG operation from delivery.
The three ships will replace current vessels in Matson’s Hawaii, Guam and China‑Long Beach Express services. The new ships will be named Makua, Malama and Makena.
In November 2022, Matson, Inc. placed a US $1 billion contract with Philly Shipyard ASA to construct three LNG‑powered Aloha Class containerships, scheduled for delivery in 2026 and 2027. In October 2024, steel cutting began on the first vessel at the Philadelphia yard, officially launching the construction phase.
Matson, Inc. is a publicly traded U.S. shipping and navigation services company headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii. Founded in April 1882 (originally Matson Navigation Company), it serves Pacific trade lanes including Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, Micronesia and China with a fleet of 22 owned vessels encompassing container, combination container/ro‑ro ships and custom barges.
Hanwha Philly Shipyard, Inc. (formerly Philadelphia Shipyard, Inc.) is a commercial shipbuilder located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Established in the late 1990s on the site of the former U.S. naval shipyard, it has delivered approximately half of all large Jones Act commercial vessels in the U.S. since 2000. It was acquired by South Korea’s Hanwha Group (through its divisions Hanwha Systems and Hanwha Ocean) in December 2024, after which it adopted its current name and integrated into Hanwha’s global shipbuilding and defence portfolio.