Kaimana Hila Wins 2022 Safety Award

By John Bannon, SQES/Dangerous Goods Specialist

A big Mahalo and congratulations to the officers and crew of Kaimana Hila, the 2022 winner of Matson’s Annual Vessel Safety Award!

Now in its 8th year, the coveted Annual Vessel Safety Award was presented to the master and crew of Kaimana Hila in a ceremony supported by Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles/Long Beach  Captain of the Port, Captain Ryan Manning, on May 2, 2023. Each year, the Matson Marine Safety Committee, comprised of members from Vessel Operations, Vessel Engineering, SQES, Legal, and Risk Management, chooses the award recipient.

This honor was bestowed upon the KMH crew for their outstanding safety culture. Notable performance for 2022 included exceptional crew rest compliance performance, the number and quality of near-miss reports, and, most importantly, not having any lost time or medical-only injuries.

The crew received a monetary award of $15,000, which is used to improve ship life and safety. The KMH crew spent its award on a Starlink system to upgrade the ship’s Wi-Fi, prime cut steaks for dinners, fresh seafood as well as more organic and healthy choice items for meals. In addition, they upgraded the ship’s store with Carhart brand KMH clothing and Kahala Falls of Clyde Matson Aloha shirts. On the safety front, improvements include an upgraded medical training mannequin and trauma simulation kits featuring over 20 different types of injuries, CPR training, IV  therapy, and wound control.

The ship also received the Vessel Safety Award Trophy, a reproduction of an antique lifeboat compass dating from the era of Matson’s founding. Kaimana Hila will join Manukai (2016), Matson Anchorage (2017), SS Matsonia (2018), Maunalei (2019), Matson Tacoma (2020), and Maunawili (2021) on the trophy.

“We thank the Kaimana Hila crew for their commitment to safety and outstanding safety culture,” said Kevin Krick, senior director, SQES, on behalf of Matson’s executive leadership team.

Added Captain Ted Bernhard, “Each of our crew members is vital to the success of our safety journey, each one as important as the other, and stronger together as Team KMH.”

Bravo Zulu, Kaimana Hila!