Matson builds its largest con-ro ship to date
The US carrier Matson recently christened the largest combination container / roll-on, roll-off ship ever built in the United States in a ceremony at the Nassco shipyard in San Diego (CA, USA). The new vessel is named “Lurline”, an iconic name in Matson’s history, dating to the construction of Captain William Matson’s first ship of that name in 1887.
Four more ships were given the name in subsequent years; this vessel will be the sixth. The new Lurline is the first of two new ships being built for Honolulu-based Matson by Nassco at a total cost of approximately USD 500 million for the pair, and the third of four new vessels that Matson will put into service in 2018, 2019 and 2020.
At 265 m long, 35 m wide (beam), with a deep draught of 11.5 m and weighing over 50,000 t, Lurline will be Matson’s largest ship and its top speed will be 23 knots. (kd)