Texas A&M’s Lone Star State Christened as Fourth National Security Multi-Mission Vessel

The fourth of five National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMVs) built for America’s state maritime academies has officially been christened, marking another milestone in the federal program to modernize the nation’s maritime training fleet and expand the pipeline of licensed merchant mariners. 

The TS Lone Star State, built by Hanwha Philly Shipyard under the U.S. Maritime Administration’s NSMV program, was christened Friday in Philadelphia before being delivered later this year to Texas A&M University’s Maritime Academy in Galveston. The vessel will serve as the academy’s first purpose-built training ship in more than two decades. 

“This is a remarkable project with Hanwha and TOTE. That these ships are being delivered on time and on budget is a feat that should not go unnoticed,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said during the ceremony. 

Rachel Campos-Duffy, wife of the transportation secretary, served as the vessel’s sponsor, performing the traditional christening ceremony by breaking a champagne bottle across the bow. 

The 524-foot NSMV will provide hands-on training for hundreds of cadets each year while also serving as a federal asset capable of supporting humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions. The ships feature two full-sized training bridges, dual engine rooms, modern instructional spaces, a hospital, helicopter landing area, and accommodations for up to 600 cadets or as many as 1,000 emergency responders during disaster deployments. 

Texas A&M officials said the arrival of the vessel ends a 21-year effort to restore a dedicated large training ship to the academy.

“We have dreamed of this day for 21 years,” said Col. Michael Fossum, superintendent of the Texas A&M Maritime Academy. “If you build these ships, we will crew them.” Fossum said anticipation of the vessel has already fueled a surge in enrollment as cadets prepare to train aboard a modern platform instead of aging ships. 

The NSMV program is intended to address the growing shortage of licensed U.S. merchant mariners while providing vessels that can support emergency response operations when needed. According to the academy, state maritime schools produce up to 90% of new licensed officers entering the U.S. commercial maritime workforce. 

The vessels are being built by Hanwha Philly Shipyard under a vessel construction manager model led by TOTE Services. Program officials say the commercial management approach has reduced acquisition costs and kept the ships on schedule while allowing the shipyard to expand its capacity for future commercial and government work. 

During the ceremony, the Trump administration also announced a $2 billion investment to build two new Missile Range Instrumentation Vessels (MRIVs) at Hanwha Philly Shipyard for the Missile Defense Agency. The ships, which will replace two aging tracking vessels, will also be managed by TOTE Services using the same vessel construction model employed for the NSMV program. 

The Lone Star State is the fourth of five NSMVs ordered by MARAD. The fifth and final vessel, Golden State, is scheduled for delivery to California State University Maritime Academy in 2027.

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