Photo of Kalohi and Nāulu, courtesy Young Brothers LLC

(BIVN) – Two new barges were christened by Young Brothers last week, part of a $45 million investment in interisland shipping operations. 

One of the barges – the 365-foot-long Nāulu – will be homeported in Kawaihae. The vessel was named for a sea breeze and rain in Kawaihae, literally translated “a sudden rain shower that quickly passes”, according to the company.

The Kalohi, a 286-foot-long barge, was designed to serve smaller ports like Kaunakakai (Moloka‘i) and Kaumalapau (Lāna‘i).

The new barges will enter service in December 2024. Young Brothers says the vessels “will provide additional cargo capacity and were designed with advanced technology and features that make it safer and more efficient to load and unload cargo.”

“The addition of these state-of-the-art vessels – the first new barges in nearly 20 years – is a major step forward in modernizing Young Brothers’ fleet and ensures we are well-positioned to deliver the frequent and reliable interisland shipping service to power Hawai‘i’s economy and connect our island communities,” said Jay Ana, president of Young Brothers.

Young Brothers says the vessels were custom-designed by Hockema Group, a Washington-based naval architecture firm, and built by Conrad Shipyard, a national leader in the construction of ships for commercial customers and the U.S. governments.