Largest U.S. containership Daniel K. Inouye built with ArcelorMittal USA plate

12.07.2018

Fabricated by ArcelorMittal customer Philly Shipyard ASA for Matson Inc., a leading U.S. carrier in the Pacific, the Inouye is the first of two Aloha Class containership vessels to be built.  

The ship is named after Inouye, Hawaii’s late U.S. senator, who was an ardent supporter of the people of Hawaii and of the U.S. maritime industry for its role in the state’s economy.   

All ArcelorMittal USA plate facilities produced material for the Inouye ship. Matt Habenicht, plate sales manager, ArcelorMittal USA, says the containership business is important to ArcelorMittal USA for several reasons. 

The Daniel K. Inouye containership was christened earlier this year and is the largest commercial vessel ever constructed in the U.S. (Photo courtesy of Matson Navigation)

“The varying grades, sizes and volumes associated with commercial vessels like these Matson container or bulk carrier ships is significant. Their combined requirements allow us to participate utilizing all our plate mills. The challenge is the number of individual pieces required to complete a vessel,” noted Habenicht. “Shipped on-time is critical – one missing or rejected plate for a unit can bring an operation to a halt. This business also allows us to differentiate our order book into another consuming industry, helping ArcelorMittal Plate to have a broader mix of consuming markets we serve versus those of our competitors.”  

Habenicht added the material for commercial ships is different from the plate steel grades supplied for Navy vessels.  

“Commercial ships are typically specified with standard carbon grades of steel, not armor like special alloy and heat-treated grades. As a result, the commercial shipbuilding market is competitive globally, with Asian shipbuilders very aggressive with state-of-the-art facilities and low manufacturing costs.”  

The Aloha class ships are designed to accommodate a diverse mix of cargo needed to support Hawaii’s economy. They will carry 45-foot containers, along with construction materials and refrigerated cargo to and from the U.S. Mainland. 

The Daniel K. Inouye was christened on June 30 at a ceremony at the Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia. Sen. Inouye’s wife, Irene Hirano Inouye, officially christened the vessel by breaking a ceremonial bottle of champagne against the ship’s hull.  

Weighing over 51,400 metric tons, the 850-foot long and 3,600 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units) capacity, the Daniel K. Inouye ship is not only the largest containership constructed in the U.S., it is also Matson’s fastest vessel with a top speed of nearly 24 knots.  

Daniel K. Inouye Facts: 

• 130 miles of electrical cable was used in its construction 
• Propeller weighs 72 tons 
• 60,000 gallons of paint were used, enough to paint 10,000 cars 
• Total structural steel weight – 13,108 tons

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