Mass Maritime Academy Welcomes New Training Ship 'Patriot State' to Buzzards Bay

The Massachusetts Maritime Academy celebrated the arrival of its new training ship, the Patriot State, in Buzzards Bay on Friday.

This delivery marks a significant milestone in the U.S. Maritime Administration’s National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) program, designed to bolster maritime training and disaster relief capabilities.

“[Friday] was a day years in the making, as the campus community gathered and the Regiment formed along the canal to welcome the Patriot State to its home port in Buzzards Bay,” the academy said on X.

The Patriot State, delivered by Philly Shipyard in September, is the second of five purpose-built, state-of-the-art training vessels commissioned for America’s five state maritime academies. This innovative program, spearheaded by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD), aims to provide world-class training for future mariners while also supporting humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions in times of need.

The Patriot State replaces Mass Maritime’s previous training ship, Kennedy, built in 1967 as the SS Velma Lykes at Avondale Shipyards in New Orleans. The TS Kennedy was transferred to Texas A&M Maritime Academy in 2023 and currently serves as its training ship.

The NSMV program represents a significant investment in America’s shipbuilding industry and maritime workforce, supporting nearly 400,000 U.S. jobs. Each vessel is equipped with numerous instructional spaces, a full training bridge, and can accommodate up to 600 cadets, providing a first-rate maritime academic environment at sea.

Beyond its primary role in education, the Patriot State is designed with impressive humanitarian capabilities. The ship features modern hospital facilities, a helicopter pad, and can accommodate up to 1,000 people during humanitarian crises. Its roll-on/roll-off and container storage capacity further enhances its utility in disaster relief missions.

Each NSMV measures 159.85 meters in length, has a breadth of 27.00 meters, and can reach speeds of 18 knots.

The shipbuilding program also marks a significant advancement in U.S. shipbuilding, utilizing an innovative public-private partnership that blends private sector expertise with government requirements. TOTE Services, as the vessel construction manager, oversees the timely and cost-effective delivery of all five next-generation ships.

With the first two NSMVs have already been delivered to SUNY Maritime College (Empire State VII, delivered September 2023) and Massachusetts Maritime Academy, construction is currently underway for the vessels destined for Maine Maritime Academy, Texas A&M Maritime Academy, and California Maritime Academy, in that order.