Matson's ship christened

Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA — The Kvaerner Philadelphia Shipyard christened its second ship yesterday, a cargo vessel expected to spend the next 30 years plying the Pacific Ocean between Hawai'i and Los Angeles.

The ship was named the Maunawili, which means "winding mountain" in Hawaiian. Matson Navigation Co. bought the 712-foot Maunawili and the Manukai, completed last summer, from Kvaerner to use on a Los Angeles-to-Hawai'i route.

The shipyard is operating part of the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, where the Navy built and maintained ships for 195 years until the yard closed in 1996.

Kvaerner, which is working on its third ship, hopes to complete two cargo ships a year.