Young Brothers Ltd., Hawai'i's largest interisland cargo company, is welcoming a new freight barge to its fleet this weekend as part of a continuing expansion plan.

On Sunday, the Maka'ala, which cost nearly $12 million and has a cargo capacity of 8,600 tons, is scheduled to begin transporting cargo between Honolulu and Kawaihae, on the Big Island.

This is the third time a vessel has carried the Maka'ala name — which means alert and vigilant — in Young Brothers' 100-year history.

Her sister barge, the Ho'omaka Hou, began service between Honolulu and Nawiliwili last November. These additions to the Young Brothers' fleet are part of a $186 million investment announced in 2006 to upgrade service.

"The Maka'ala and her sister vessels represent a new generation of barges, which are modern, fuel efficient and environmentally sensitive," said Glenn Hong, president of Young Brothers.

"These new barges will allow us to carry 40 percent more cargo per voyage than the barges that they replace, allowing us to readily meet the needs of our customers and the future growth needs of our state," he said.

Hong said the combined rising cost of energy and increased environmental awareness makes this a good move.

"This ability to reduce our carbon footprint, by transporting more cargo per gallon of fuel consumed, is both timely and essential to the economic lifeline we provide to the people of Hawai'i," he said.

The hull design for the new barges provides for less resistance at the waterline, resulting in faster towing speeds and conservation of fuel consumed by the towing tug," he added.

The 3,175-ton Maka'ala was built in Portland by U.S. Barge, which is a joint venture between Oregon Iron and Vigor Industrial. Young Brothers has contracted U.S. Barge to provide two more barges of the same design over the next year.

A third vessel, the Kala'e Nalu, is scheduled to be delivered in November, with a fourth barge to be delivered in April 2009. All of the barges are being constructed on Swan Island in Oregon, a shipyard that built "victory" ships during World War II.

Young Brothers Ltd., provides interisland cargo service throughout the state of Hawai'i with ports in Honolulu, Maui, Moloka'i, Lana'i, Kaua'i, and Kawaihae. Young Brothers' parent company, Saltchuk Resources, bought the cargo division of bankrupt Aloha Airlines in May for $10.5 million.