The M.V. Manukai is the first ship in a series of two containerships to be built for Matson Navigation Company, a shipping company based in San Francisco, CA. The U.S. Jones Act ship was christened by Mrs. Margaret Inouye, wife of Hawaii Senator Daniel K. Inouye, at Kvaerner Philadelphia Shipyard on July 12, 2003.

This ship is the first vessel to be built at Kvaerner Philadelphia Shipyard, and the first new ship to be built in the Philadelphia Naval Business Center (PNBC) since 1969, when the amphibious command ship Blue Ridge (LCC-19) was built and launched by the Philadelphia Naval Yard. It is also the first new Matson vessel built since 1992, when the M.V. R.J. Pfeiffer entered the company's service. The ship will be one of eight ships deployed in Matson's service between the West Coast and Hawaii.

Matson's Hawaii service includes the ports of Los Angeles, Oakland, Seattle, and Honolulu. Soon after delivery, the ship will depart on its positioning voyage down the Atlantic coast and through the Panama Canal to California where it will enter service between Hawaii and the U.S. mainland. The ship once in service will carry a broad range of commodities including grocery and retail supplies, refrigerated cargo, building materials, and all items necessary for the economy in Hawaii.

The USD 220 million contract for the two Jones Act containerships, which are a part of the Title XI financing program, was signed in May 2002 between KPSI and Matson. The start of hull assembly began in 2001, the vessel was launched in March 2003, and the sea trials took place in July 2003. The yard just recently moved forward from its start-up phase focusing on the recruiting and training of local workers to its full production phase focusing on the construction of the ships. The ship was built by the yard together with a large number of turnkey and other suppliers to outfit the ship with the most state-of-the-art equipment. The classification society of the M.V. Manukai is the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), and it sails under the American flag.

"This marks a tremendous milestone for Kvaerner Philadelphia Shipyard," stated Gunnar Skjelbred, President & CEO of KPSI. "We are all proud to see the ship completed and ready to enter service with Matson. We have proved that we can build quality ships. This success is a result of the cooperation between KPSI, our union - the Philadelphia Metal Trades Council, our suppliers, and most importantly, our workers."

The Manukai, under the command of Captain Katharine Sweeney, is scheduled to sail from the East Coast to the Panama Canal and West Coast the week of September 7, 2003.

Length overall 217.0 m

Length between perpendiculars 200.2 m

Beam 32.2 m

Depth 19.4 m

Gross Tonnage 30,000

Deadweight (11.0 m) 29,400 t

Speed (90% MCR, 20% margin) 22.5 knots

Main Engine - Size 8k80

Main Engine - Power 28,880kW

Fixed pitch propeller six blades

Bow Thruster 1,300 kW

 

The CV2600 includes Green Ship features such as tin-free coatings, gray and bilge water holding tanks, low sulfur fuel tanks, and reduced emissions engines.


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For further information:

John E. Graykowski, Senior Vice President & General Counsel, KPSI, 215-875-2657, or john.graykowski@phillyshipyard.com

Jennifer M. Whitener, Communications Coordinator, KPSI, 215-875-2614, or jennifer.whitener@phillyshipyard.com

Aker Kvaerner is a leading global provider of engineering and construction services, technology products and integrated solutions. The group consists of separate business entities, with activities spanning a wide range of industries, including Oil and Gas, Refining & Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals, Mining & Metals, Power, Chemical Pulping and Shipbuilding. Aker Kvaerner is a multi-local group of businesses with nearly USD 6 billion of annual revenues and around 30 000 employees in more than 30 countries.