Aloha Marine Lines has launched its newest barge, Makani Loa, serving customers who are using the bi-weekly barge service between Seattle and Hawaii, the company announced March 27.
Built by Portland, Oregon-based Gunderson Marine & Iron, the Makani Loa joins two other Makani Class sister barges, Kamakani and Namakani, that were added in 2020. The barges, designed by Seattle-based naval architectural company Hockema Group, are 438 feet long and 105 feet wide, have a 16,900-ton-deadweight capacity and high binwalls to keep freight secure while curbing the amount of lashing needed for travel, Lynden said.
“We take pride in working with a premier partner like Gunderson on the construction of the Makani Loa,” Aloha Marine Lines President Jason Jansen said. “Their skilled and experienced people are the best in the industry, and the reason our relationship has spanned decades.”
Gunderson built 26 of the 34 barges that Lynden’s family of companies, including Aloha Marine Lines, owns and operates.
“The Makani Loa is the first launch by Gunderson Marine & Iron since acquiring the company in 2023,” Dee Burch, president of Gunderson Marine & Iron said. “The long tradition of building state of the art barges for Lynden is alive and well.”
