Philly Shipyard Lays Keel for Second NSMV
Philly Shipyard held a keel laying ceremony on Thursday for the second vessel in a series of new purpose built, state-of-the-art training ships for America’s state maritime academies.
The newbuild, to be named Patriot State, is the second of five new National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMV) being built under a program for the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (MARAD), which owns and operates training ships for the nation's state maritime academies. The second NSMV is scheduled to be delivered to Massachusetts Maritime Academy in 2024.
MARAD's NSMV program is designed to provide a purpose-built, state-of-the-art training platform for state maritime academies in New York, Massachusetts, Maine, Texas and California, respectively. In addition, the five NSMVs will be available to support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions when required.
In 2019, MARAD awarded TOTE Services a contract to be the Vessel Construction Manager (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 earlier this year.
Each NSMV will feature numerous instructional spaces, a full training bridge and have space for up to 600 cadets to train in a first-rate maritime academic environment at sea. In addition, each ship will feature modern 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.
Last week, the first NSMV, Empire State, was launched, giving way in the building dry dock for NSMV 2. The launch marks the first time the vessel was floated as it moved to the outfitting dry dock for the remainder of the construction process, including final outfitting and trials. Empire State is scheduled to be delivered to SUNY Maritime College in 2023.