By Karen Robes Meeks
The second of two 850-foot long, 3,600-TEU Aloha Class containerships was christened by Matson, Inc. and Philly Shipyard, Inc. at a ceremony on March 9.
Kaimana Hila is the new sister ship to Daniel K. Inouye. Its name is Hawaiian for "Diamond Head," the landmark crater near Waikiki Beach.
"This is a proud day for everyone at Matson," said Matt Cox, Matson's chairman and chief executive officer, at the shipyard ceremony. "Daniel K. Inouye has performed well in its first four months of service, and we are excited to have Kaimana Hila joining it soon. These new vessels herald the beginning of a new era in our Hawaii service and will allow us to serve our customers better than ever for decades to come."
The two ships cost nearly $418 million and are Matson's largest ships, each weighing in at more than 51,400 metric tons. They are the first of four new vessels Matson will place into its Hawaii service over the next 18 months.
Both vessels feature the newest sustainable technology, including “dual fuel engines that can be adapted to use liquefied natural gas (LNG), double hull fuel tanks, fresh water ballast systems and a more fuel-efficient hull design,” according to Matson.
