NASSCO lays keel for Matson Con-Ro vessels

Construction is proceeding well at San Diego-based General Dynamics NASSCO on Matson’s two Kanaloa-class Con-Ro vessels Lurline and Matsonia.

About 15 per cent complete after the keel-laying ceremony, the combination container and roll-on/roll-off vessels are scheduled for delivery to Matson’s Hawaii fleet in the fourth quarter of 2019 and second quarter of 2020, respectively.

Named in honour of the ocean deity revered in the native Hawaiian culture, the Kanaloa-class vessels are being built on a 3,500TEU vessel platform that is 265.1 metres by 34.7 metres and an enclosed garage space for up to 800 vehicles or breakbulk cargo.

They include a fuel-efficient hull design, double-hull fuel tanks, fresh water ballast systems and dual-fuel engines, meaning they will operate at speeds up to 23 knots on conventional fuel oils or LNG.