Matson, Inc.  took delivery of the first of two new Aloha Class containerships built for Matson's Hawaii service at Philly Shipyard.

Christened 'Daniel K. Inouye' in honor of Hawaii's late senior U.S. Senator, the vessel is the largest containership ever built in the United States.  

Weighing in at over 51,400 metric tons, the 850-foot long and 3,600 TEU capacity Daniel K. Inouye is Matson's largest ship and also its fastest, with a top speed in excess of 23 knots.

"This new ship, our fifth delivered by Philly Shipyard, is the product of a great partnership with the Philly team in designing and constructing a new class of containership that will set a new standard for cargo delivery in the Hawaii trade," said Ron Forest, President of Matson.

The ship will embark on its 5,298-mile, 13-day maiden voyage to Oakland, California via the Panama Canal on Wednesday, November 7 before entering commercial service on November 22.  After a port call at Long Beach, the new vessel will make its first call at Honolulu on the morning of November 28.

Founded in 1882, Matson is a leading provider of ocean transportation and logistics services.