General Dynamics NASSCO begins construction on Matson Containership

General Dynamics NASSCO started construction on the second ship in a two-ship series of Kanaloa-class containerships for Matson Navigation Company, Inc.

Construction of Matsonia began with a ceremonial first cut of steel at NASSCO’s San Diego shipyard where the first ship in the series, Lurline, is 15 percent complete. Both ships will transport containers, automobiles and rolling stock between the West Coast of the United States and Hawaii. Using proven design standards, the ship design incorporates liquefied natural gas-capable main and auxiliary engines, which are compliant with Tier III emission requirements. Future installation of an LNG fuel gas system can be accommodated on the 870-foot-long, 3,500 TEU platform combination container and roll-on/roll-off (“Con-Ro”) vessels.

“Matson’s customers in the Hawaii trade rely on us for dependable delivery of their goods, and these new Kanaloa-class vessels designed specifically for serving Hawaii will ensure we meet the highest standards of efficiency and reliability,” said Ron Forest, president of Matson.

“Designing and building these vessels brings pride to every member of our team,” said Kevin Graney, president of General Dynamics NASSCO. “It’s an honor to add the Kanaloa-class vessels to NASSCO’s decades-long history in Jones Act ship production.”

Construction of the first ship for Matson, Lurline, is scheduled to be complete in the fourth quarter of 2019. Matsonia is scheduled for delivery in the second quarter of 2020.

NASSCO partnered with DSEC Co., Ltd., to provide Matson with state-of-the-art ship design and shipbuilding technologies. For more than a decade, this partnership has produced premium ships for five separate Jones Act owners.

NASSCO serves as the only major shipyard on the West Coast of the United States designing, constructing and repairing ships for the U.S. Navy and commercial customers. In the past decade, NASSCO delivered more than 30 innovative, ocean-going ships, including the world’s first LNG-powered containerships.