Alaska's biggest crane arrives at Kodiak

KODIAK, Alaska, — Matson, Inc. (NYSE: MATX), a leading U.S. carrier in the Pacific, today took delivery of a new 65-ton gantry crane to replace one half its size at the company's Kodiak Terminal.

Standing more than 340 feet tall at its peak with a boom spanning 164 feet, Matson's new crane is the largest in Alaska, capable of lifting loads up to 60 feet long and weighing up to 145,000 pounds.

Its state-of-the-art industrial equipment will be powered entirely by renewable energy. An electrically powered crane that uses fly wheel technology to capture, store and then return power as needed, the crane will run on electricity provided by the Kodiak Electric Association, which uses wind and water turbines to generate 99.9 percent of its power. (See the technology in action here:ABB to enable integration of renewables in Alaskan island microgrid ; Alaskan island goes green with ABB technology - YouTube)

With a price tag of more than $10 million, the new crane is one of a number of investments Matson is making to improve the services and capabilities of its Alaska operations. It has also purchased new ground equipment and ordered a fleet of new dry and insulated containers for use in Alaska.

Matson has also scheduled work to install new exhaust scrubber systems on the three former Horizon D7 Class vessels it now operates in Alaska, with each vessel going into dry dock for three months, one after another, starting in September.

Matson, Inc. closed its acquisition of Horizon Lines, Inc., which included Horizon's Alaska operations and the assumption of all non-Hawaii business, for $469 million (before transaction costs) on May 29, 2015.

Matson is committed to continuing Horizon's long operating history in Alaska with a three vessel deployment of diesel powered Jones Act qualified containerships that provide two weekly sailings from Tacoma to Anchorage and Kodiak, and a weekly sailing to Dutch Harbor. In addition, Matson has retained Horizon personnel and maintained operations port terminals in Anchorage, Kodiak and Dutch Harbor and acquired several reserve steam powered Jones Act containerships that may be used for dry-dock relief.

In 2014, Matson was rated the #1 ocean carrier in the world in Logistics Management's annual Quest for Quality Awards, considered by many the most prestigious industry award recognizing performance excellence and customer satisfaction.

About Matson

Founded in 1882, Matson is a leading U.S. carrier in the Pacific. Matson provides a vital lifeline to the economies of Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, Micronesia and select South Pacific islands, and operates a premium, expedited service from China to Southern California. The Company's fleet of 25 vessels includes containerships, combination container and roll-on/roll-off ships and custom-designed barges. Matson Logistics, established in 1987, extends the geographic reach of Matson's transportation network throughout the continental U.S. Its integrated, asset-light logistics services include rail intermodal, highway brokerage and warehousing. Additional information about Matson, Inc. is available at www.matson.com.