Philly Shipyard (PSI), lowered the first engine room section for Matson’s dual-fuel ‘Aloha Class’ containership.
The two vessels will be delivered to Matson in the third quarter of 2018 and first quarter of 2019, respectively, PSI said in its statement.
Following the placement of the 420 metric ton engine room section, Matson president Ron Forest said the two vessels will be the biggest containerships ever built in the United States.
The 850-foot long, 3,600 TEU Aloha Class vessels will also be the largest vessels in Matson’s fleet, the statement reads.
Both are designed to operate at speeds in excess of 23 knots, including dual fuel engines that can be adapted to use liquefied natural gas (LNG), environmentally safe double hull fuel tanks and fresh water ballast systems.