Pasha Hawaii inks contract for two new LNG-fueled containerships

The two vessels will be built by Texas-based Keppel AmFELS and will be deployed on the Hawaii-U.S. Mainland trade by 2020.    Hawaii-based Pasha Hawaii inked a contract for two new LNG-fueled containerships for service in the Hawaii-U.S. Mainland trade lane.
   The vessels will be built at Brownsville, TX-based Keppel AmFELS, a subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine (Keppel O&M), with delivery of the first vessel slated for the first quarter of 2020. The second vessel will follow later that year. 
   The vessels will measure 774 feet in length and will have a capacity of 2,525 TEUs, including a fully laden capacity of 500 45-foot containers, 400 refrigerated containers, and 300 40-foot dry containers, said Pasha Hawaii..
   “This contract with Keppel allows Pasha Hawaii to continue to move forward in our commitment to providing the best resources possible for our customers and Hawaii’s shipping industry, while minimizing our environmental footprint,” said George Pasha, IV, president and CEO, of The Pasha Group. “We are proud supporters of the Jones Act and look forward to working with Keppel’s team of highly skilled shipbuilders.”
   The new vessels will operate LNG from day one in service, decreasing environmental impact and increasing fuel efficiency, said Pasha Hawaii. “LNG reduces up to 95 percent sulphur oxides, nearly 100 percent particulate matter, up to 90 percent nitrogen oxides, and up to 25 percent carbon dioxide emissions from engine exhaust emissions,” when compared to conventional fuels, said Pasha Hawaii.
   “We are pleased to have been chosen to build these two LNG-fueled containerships to our innovative design for operation in Pasha Hawaii’s fleet. Keppel O&M is at the forefront of designing vessels that run on LNG propulsion systems and has the experience in LNG vessel conversions as well as the expertise in newbuild specialized vessels,” said Simon Lee, president of Keppel AmFELS. “We look forward to building these ships which will have a direct impact on American jobs at our shipyard and suppliers across the country.”