Philly Shipyard in Pennsylvania has delivered a new training vessel to the State University of New York Maritime College (SUNY Maritime College).
Empire State is owned by the US Maritime Administration and operated by SUNY Maritime College. The seventh SUNY vessel to be named Empire State is the first unit in a new class of training ships that will also be available to support US federal government efforts in response to national and international disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes. In their roles as National Defense Reserve Fleet vessels, the five National Security Multimission Vessels (NSMVs) will also incorporate medical capabilities, a command and control platform, and berthing for up to 1,000 first responders and recovery workers.
Empire State has a length of 525.1 feet (160.05 metres), a beam of 89 feet (27 metres), a draught of 21 feet (6.5 metres), a depth of 55 feet (16.8 metres), and a deadweight of 8,487. The standard facilities for 600 cadets and 100 crewmembers consist of eight classrooms, a full training bridge, laboratories, and an auditorium that can seat 600, while a propulsion system that includes four Wabtec 16V250 US EPA Tier IV-compliant diesel engines delivers a service speed of 18 knots and a range of 11,000 nautical miles. GE provided the vessel's electric plant, which will enable cadets to learn about and work with modern shipboard electric systems in a safe seagoing environment.
For the disaster relief role, the NSMV relies on a side Ro-Ro ramp, space for containers, a cargo crane, and a helicopter pad.
Empire State was built to a design developed jointly by Alameda, California-based Herbert Engineering Corporation and South Korean shipbuilder DSEC. Four other NSMVs will be built and delivered to various maritime colleges in Massachusetts, Maine, Texas, and California by 2026.
| Empire State | |
| SPECIFICATIONS | |
| Type of vessel: | Training vessel/Disaster response vessel |
| Flag: | USA |
| Owner: | Maritime Administration, USA |
| Operator: | State University of New York Maritime College, USA |
| Designers: | Herbert Engineering Corporation, USA; DSEC, South Korea |
| Builder: | Philly Shipyard, USA |
| Length overall: | 525.1 feet (160.05 metres) |
| Beam: | 89 feet (27 metres) |
| Draught: | 21 feet (6.5 metres) |
| Depth: | 55 feet (16.8 metres) |
| Deadweight tonnage: | 8,487 |
| Main engines: | 4 x Wabtec 16V250 |
| Cruising speed: | 18 knots |
| Range: | 11,000 nautical miles |
| Other equipment installed: | GE electrical plant; helicopter pad |
| Type of fuel: | Diesel |
| Accommodation: | Classrooms; training bridge; laboratories; auditorium |
| Crew: | 100 |
| Passengers: | 600 |