John Couch Honors Matson with Sustainable Ship Design Professorship at Webb Institute

When John Couch chose to help fund a new professorship at the Webb Institute, it was decided to name it the Matson Navigation Company Professorship of Sustainable Ship Design.

In an article written for the Institute’s annual report, Couch wrote, “The parallel elements of Webb’s and Matson’s history, vision and impact…were key factors” that led to the decision to establish the new professorship in Matson’s name.

“William H. Webb (1816-1899) and William Matson (1849-1917) had much in common. Both were leaders in the marine industry during a period of remarkable change in the world, and both were successful entrepreneurs as well as innovators who contributed significantly to advances in marine technology. They each left a substantial legacy that continues to benefit those who are pursuing careers in the industry today. Those legacies are Webb Institute and Matson Navigation Company.

“The professorship is intended to celebrate the many accomplishments and strengths of (both Matson and Webb) as well as to advance Webb’s sustainability initiatives, which support the marine industry’s drive to decarbonize. I was inspired to establish the Matson Navigation Company Professorship of Sustainable Ship Design at Webb, honoring Matson’s accomplishments and supporting Webb’s continuing contributions to advances in the field.”

“My introduction to Matson took place in the summer of 1960. As a student studying naval architecture and marine engineering, I had the opportunity to work in the company’s Engineering Department in San Francisco. It was a pivotable time in the company’s history because it coincided with the development of its revolutionary container shipping system.

“My internship was a deep immersion in integrated ship and terminal design development and ship operations, container handling, and logistics planning. It changed my life and propelled me on an enjoyable and rewarding 38-year career in ship design, shipbuilding, and ship operations.”

As a Webb trustee, Couch became involved in discussions about the threat of climate change, the increasing global focus on the environment, and the challenges and issues faced by the shipping industry. “My knowledge of Matson’s leadership in addressing related issues became the catalyst for the idea of helping Webb strengthen their capabilities in advancing sustainable ship design.”

Matson has been working toward goals of achieving a 40 percent reduction in Scope 1 fleet emissions by 2030 and net zero Scope 1 emissions by 2050. We’ve made significant investments in green technology and LNG sourcing, including our three new LNG-ready Aloha Class vessels, the first of which is under construction at Philly Shipyard and scheduled for delivery in 2026.

Since 2017, Matson has funded a scholarship at Webb, which has an academic focus on engineering and naval architecture.

“As Matson’s Scholarship Ambassador to Webb Institute, I was thrilled to learn about this new professorship,” said Steven Pagan, technical services manager, Operations and a Webb alum. “Even though marine transportation is already an extremely efficient means of moving freight, reducing emissions is our industry’s biggest technical challenge today. Having a professorship dedicated to sustainability highlights the importance of this topic to Matson and how dedicated we are to addressing it.”