Joanna Crews
General Dynamics‘ NASSCO subsidiary has begun construction of the first of two containerships for public shipping company Matson Navigation at a shipyard in San Diego.
NASSCO said Wednesday the Kanaloa-class vessel will have a maximum cargo capacity of 3,500 twenty-foot equivalent unit and be powered by liquefied natural gas-capable engines.
The 870-foot-long ship was designed by NASSCO and its partner Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering.
Kevin Graney, NASSCO president, said the business plans to hire additional workers to support ongoing shipbuilding projects at the San Diego facility.
NASSCO aims to complete the first containership for Matson in 2019.
Construction of a second Kanaloa-class vessel is slated to commence sometime in 2018 and scheduled to be delivered by 2020.
