Matson Takes Delivery of First Kanaloa-Class ConRo

MV Lurline during sea trials. Photo courtesy NASSCO

The largest con-ro ever built in the United States is getting ready to depart on its maiden voyage to Hawaii from the U.S. west coast.

Matson took delivery of the MV Lurline from General Dynamics NASSCO on December 26. The vessel is the first of two “Kanaloa Class” combination container / roll-on, roll-off ships being built by NASSCO in San Diego at a total cost of $500 million for the pair. At 870 feet long, 114 feet wide (beam), with a deep draft of 38 feet and weighing in at over 50,000 metric tons, the 3,500 TEU-capacity Lurline is now Matson’s largest ship.

Both new Kanaloa-class vessels will have an enclosed garage with room for approximately 500 vehicles, plus space for rolling stock and breakbulk cargo. They will also feature state-of-the-art green technology, including a fuel-efficient hull design, environmentally safe double hull fuel tanks, fresh water ballast systems and the first Tier 3 dual fuel engines to be deployed in containerships serving West Coast ports, Matson says.

Under the latest IMO requirements for engine manufacturers, Tier 3 engines reduce the levels of particulate emissions by 40 percent and nitrogen oxide emissions by 20 percent, as compared to Tier 2 standards, according to the company.

The two Kanaloa-class ships will replace three diesel powered vessels currently in active service for Matson. The second vessel, to be named Matsonia, is scheduled to be delivered in second quarter of 2020.

Combined with Matson’s new Alaho-class containerships built by Philly Shipyard, the vessels are part of Matson’s strategy to meet new IMO 2020 low sulphur fuel regulations. In addition, Matson in June started on the installation of exhaust gas cleaning systems, or scrubbers, on six vessels deployed in its Hawaii and China-Long Beach Express services.

The MV Lurline is expected to depart from Oakland and Long Beach on January 9 and January 11, respectively, with arrival in Honolulu on January 15.

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