Matson, Inc. has christened Makua, the first of three new Aloha Class containerships being built at Hanwha Philly Shipyard. The vessel is scheduled to enter service in 2027, with two sister ships to follow in the same program. The Aloha Class ships are intended to support Matson's Hawaii supply chain operations, replacing or supplementing existing tonnage in the company's Pacific fleet. Matson has described the vessels as American built, American owned and American crewed, underscoring the company's role in domestic shipbuilding under U.S. maritime law, which requires vessels in the Jones Act trade to be constructed, owned and operated by Americans. The christening drew reaction from industry observers and the public. Some commenters praised Matson's investment in domestic shipbuilding and its contribution to the U.S. economy and maritime workforce, while others raised concerns about construction costs, citing reports that each Aloha Class vessel is valued at around 335 million US dollars, compared to under 100 million US dollars for comparable ships built overseas. Matson has not publicly responded to the cost comparisons. The Aloha Class program represents a multi-year shipbuilding commitment for Matson as it continues to serve Hawaii, Alaska and other Pacific markets with newly constructed tonnage.