Pasha Hawaii firms up box ship order at Keppel AmFELS

AUGUST 24, 2017 — Back in May, Honolulu-based Pasha Hawaii announced that it had selected the Keppel AmFELS shipyard in Brownsville, TX, to build two new LNG fueled Jones Act containerships, with the option to order two additional vessels. That selection has now turned into a firm order.

Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd (Keppel O&M) said today that U.S. subsidiary Keppel AmFELS has now secured a two ship contract worth more than US$400 million from Pasha Hawaii.

The dual fuel LNG containerships will be built to Keppel’s proprietary design with delivery of the first vessel expected in first quarter 2020, and the second in third quarter 2020.

Customized to Pasha Hawaii’s requirements, the 774-ft Jones Act vessels will be able to carry 2,525 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), including a fully laden capacity of 500 45-foot containers, 400 refrigerated containers, and 300 40-foot dry containers, with a sailing speed of 23 knots.

The ship’s hull has been fully optimized using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and will be one of the most hydrodynamically efficient hulls in the world.

“We are pleased that Pasha has chosen us to build their first two LNG fueled containerships to our innovative design,” said Mr. Simon Lee, President of Keppel AmFELS. “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. In addition, Keppel AmFELS is ideally located and well-equipped to build a wide variety of vessels for the Jones Act market. We look forward to building these ships which will have a direct impact on American jobs at our shipyard and suppliers across the country.”

“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 containerships will be able to run completely on LNG fuel, dramatically reducing their environmental impact and increasing fuel efficiency. Energy savings will also be achieved with a state-of-the-art engine, an optimised hull form, and an underwater propulsion system with a high-efficiency rudder and propeller.