Good news for the US flag fleet and the unions involved.
I suggested this back in 2018 when some of these ships were available due to Tote backing out of their deal with Philly ship… Looks like the fuel savings from the electronic main engines caught their attention.
The more the merrier!
One question though…if the first two ships cost $209 mil each, or $265 mil adjusted for inflation, why are these next three of the same class $333 mil each. Is that “LNG-ready” and “green ship technology” really worth an additional $68 million per ship?
I though the whole point of scaling a fleet was so it got cheaper the more you build.
Inflation and shipyard availability most likely the cause of higher prices. Philly shipyard and others have been active recently and there is no news of stopping. Offshore wind vessel demand and the new MARAD RRF will be knocking on shipyard doors soon enough.
Are the ships adding to their fleet or are they going to scrap the ones in the Alaska trade?
Looks like it will be a rotation.
New ships (3) replace the three 2500/2600 class ships currently on the China run (5 ships, 35 day weekly liner service).
Those 2500/2600 ships (4) will replace the D7 ships (3) currently operation in Alaska.
Presumably the D7s shift to reserve status and the old C9s (built ~1982) will go away.
I would also assume the “extra” 2500/2600 class would be a surge vessel during periods of high demand as well as a fill in vessel when one of the others goes to yard periods.
Another option available to them would be to convert their China run to a 6 ship/42 day weekly liner service (like APL’s US flag liner service). But if they wanted to do that they probably would have ordered 4 new ships instead of 3.
3 ships for a billion dollars. Excellent value for money, and delivery in only 3-4 years. Couldn’t get a deal like that anywhere else in the world.
My guess, and it’s only that, but my guess is that they’ll scrap the D-7’s and keep the C-9’s in reserve, the Manoa is currently running on the northern triangle, and the Mokihana is a ro-con.
But who knows? it’s Matson, they’ve likely changed their minds 3 times just since you started reading this
AD Ports Group just bought 80% of GFS with a fleet of 26 feeders for USD 800 Mil.:
http://www.globalfeeders.com/fleet/
Source: AD Ports splurges $800m to take over Global Feeder Shipping - Splash247
What would this same deal cost, realistically, elsewhere?
I would think less than half, but probably get the ships in half the time as well.
Nearest I can find in size and time is:
The newbuild price has fallen a bit of late due to the fall in orders, which again is caused by falling charter market for container ships.
Even if we round up a bit on that higher number that would mean these new Matson ships are coming in at well over FOUR TIMES the cost elsewhere.
That is absolutely insane.
And take 4 times as long!
Here is newbuilding report for Sept 2022:
Not specified size but 19 container ships were ordered worldwide:
Container ships: 19 DWT: 2.045.600 Invested: $ 2.207.600.000
Average size 107.7K DWT Average price: USD 116.2 Mill. (??)
PS> The Aloha class ships are the largest container ships ever built in the United at 50,794 DWT.
Are those Norwegian telephone numbers?
Did you open the attachment?
You’re correct because these ships are required to be Jones Act compliant due to their planned run.
So for clarity, are you ignorant or just an asshole?
Curious why you think that… Not saying you’re wrong at all, just genuinely curious what’s the argument as why that would be the better option.
Why not both?
Certainly a possibility.