Matson to convert container ship to ro/ro

Matson to convert container ship to ro/ro    Oakland-based Jones Act carrier Matson Navigation Co. said Thursday it is proceeding with the conversion of one of its C-9 containerships, the 'Mokihana,' to a combination roll-on/roll-off and container vessel to further strengthen its Hawaii service capabilities.
   With the conversion, the vessel will have ro/ro and container capacity comparable to two vessels in Matson's service today, the dedicated ro/ro vessel 'Great Land' and the containership 'Lihue.' The new vessel will have the capacity to carry 1,350 vehicles.
   The plan is part of a multiphase program that began in 2003 and is designed to provide Matson's auto customers with the two service features they prefer: frequency of service and ro/ro capacity, the company said in a statement. The carrier is also planning expansion of its inter-island ro/ro barge capacity and shoreside facilities in Hawaii.
   Total cost for this phase of the project is estimated to be $45 million, with completion scheduled for mid-2007.