Second NSMV Patriot State Completes Sea Trials
The second vessel in a series of new training ships for the U.S.' state maritime academies has completed sea trials, build manager TOTE Services said.
The National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) Patriot State, built by Philly Shipyard and scheduled for delivery to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy later this year, completed the trials with participation from the shipyard, vendors, construction management teams, captain, crews and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
“We’ve reached a historic milestone with the sea trials of the second NSMV, Patriot State, that will be used to train future cadets at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy,” said TOTE Services president Jeff Dixon. “We’re grateful for the widespread, bipartisan support the National Security Multi-Mission Vessel program has received to help make this significant investment in the U.S. maritime industry possible.”
A keel laying ceremony was held for Patriot State in September 2022, and the ship was launched in July 2023. Upon entering service for the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, the newbuild will replace TS Kennedy, a 1960s-built break bulk cargo freighter converted to a training ship in the early 2000s.
Each new NSMV is built with instructional spaces, a full training bridge and space for up to 600 cadets. In addition, each ship features hospital facilities, a helicopter pad and the ability to accommodate up to 1,000 people in times of humanitarian need. The NSMVs can also provide needed roll-on/roll-off and container storage capacity for use during disaster relief missions.
The government-sponsored shipbuilding program is the U.S.' first to utilize the vessel construction manager (VCM) model, which places the responsibility for the selection and oversight of the shipyard on a government contractor that utilizes commercial best practices to manage the project.
In 2019, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD) awarded TOTE Services a contract to be the VCM for the NSMV program, and Philly Shipyard secured the contract to build the first two vessels in 2020. The next two vessels in the NSMV program were ordered in 2021, followed by the fifth and final vessel in 2022.
The series' first ship, Empire State, was delivered to SUNY Maritime College in 2023. During its inaugural training cruise this summer, the ship was forced to alter course due technical issues.
Philly Shipyard is currently constructing the final three ships in the NSMV series, State of Maine (Maine Maritime Academy), Lone Star State (Texas A&M Maritime Academy) and Golden State (California Maritime Academy), for scheduled delivery in 2025 and 2026. The yard has said it is seeking schedule relief for the remaining builds due to various challenges, including workforce shortages and supply chain issues.