New Matson ship 'built for Hawai'i'

By Kelly Yamanouchi
Advertiser Staff Writer

Matson Navigation Co.'s 712-foot container ship M.V. Manukai made its maiden voyage from Long Beach, Calif., to Hawai'i on Sunday. The $110 million ship will carry cargo to Honolulu from Long Beach every other week. Photo courtesy Matson

The $110 million ship, the M.V. Manukai, replaces an older steam vessel and will carry cargo into Honolulu from Long Beach every other week.

The ship allows Matson to carry larger containers and operates with a more fuel-efficient diesel engine. The Manukai has capacity for 2,600 containers and is touted as a more reliable and cheaper ship for Matson to load and unload.

The Manukai is the first of two new container ships Matson is building for Hawai'i shipping. Both will replace steam-powered ships that are more than 30 years old. The second $110 million ship, the M.V. Maunawili, is scheduled for delivery in mid-2004.

Matson earlier this year said it considered seeking a different owner for the two ships because of rising labor costs, but it later reached agreements with its labor unions and proceeded with the purchase of the vessels.

The Manukai was built at Kvaerner Philadelphia Shipyard Inc. and is the first commercial ship made at the shipyard in 34 years. U.S. Sen. Dan Inouye's wife, Margaret, christened the Manukai in July in Philadelphia.

The shipyard received financial support from the Philadelphia Shipyard Development Corp., the Delaware River Port Authority, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the City of Philadelphia.

Jim Andrasick, Matson president and chief executive, said the Manukai cost Matson about $50 million less than the last ship the company bought.

The Manukai "has been designed and built specifically for our Hawai'i service customers and will meet the current demands of our market," Andrasick said.

Matson also plans to begin sailing a vessel to transport vehicles between Oakland, Calif., and Hawai'i, including Maui, later this year. The S.S. Great Land will have a roll-on, roll-off system to drive cars on and off the ship.

Matson is a subsidiary of Alexander & Baldwin Inc.

Reach Kelly Yamanouchi at 535-2470 or at kyamanouchi@honoluluadvertiser.com.