Matson christens first of three new dual-fuel containerships

Matson and Hanwha Philly Shipyard have christened the Makua, the first of three new Aloha Class containerships. The ceremony took place in Philadelphia on October 10, 2026.

The 3,600-TEU, Jones Act-compliant vessel is part of a $1 billion fleet renewal program. The Makua is expected to arrive in the first quarter of 2027 and will serve Matson’s Hawaii and China–Long Beach express networks. Two sister vessels, the Malama and Makena, are scheduled for delivery in the third quarter of 2027 and the second quarter of 2028, respectively.

The new ships feature dual-fuel engines that are LNG-ready, allowing them to operate on either liquefied natural gas or traditional marine fuel. They are designed with fuel-efficient hulls, double-hull fuel tanks, and freshwater ballast systems. The vessels will replace existing ships in the Hawaii and China–Long Beach services, which will in turn allow Matson to update its Alaska service with displaced vessels.