The U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration’s Training Ship, State of Michigan, which began its first training cruise on May 22, will call at Ludington, Mich.; Muskegon, Mich.; Port Huron, Mich.; Detroit; Cleveland; and Sault Ste Marine, Mich., before returning to the Great Lakes Maritime Academy (GLMA) on June 3. The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) assigned the 225-ft. vessel to the academy at Traverse City, Mich. The vessel, formerly known as the U.S. Navy Ship, Persistent, operated for two years as a drug-interdiction support ship for the U.S. Coast Guard before it was decommissioned and made available for transfer. “This training cruise is a benchmark even for Great Lakes Maritime Academy,” said Superintendent John Tanner.