A training ship enters service with a Dutch operator while another for an American maritime school is nearing completion. Construction meanwhile starts on a new oceanographic survey ship for the US Navy. Finally, a recently signed agreement calls for classification support for a future training sailship for Australia.
Netherlands' STC Group christens new inland training ship
Netherlands-based marine training services provider the STC Group has formally named its newest vessel.
The 67-metre Ab Initio ("From the Beginning") was built by local company Concordia Damen to a design by C-Job Naval Architects. It replaces Prinses Beatrix and Prinses Christina, two 1960s-built vessels in the STC training fleet.
The newbuild also has space for 39 crew berths.
SUNY Maritime College's future training vessel hits the water
Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia has launched a new training vessel slated for the State University of New York Maritime College (SUNY Maritime College).
The future Empire State VII is a National Security Multimission Vessel (NSMV) that will be owned by the US Maritime Administration and operated by SUNY Maritime College. Once completed, it will have eight classrooms, a full training bridge, laboratories, and an auditorium that can seat 600.
The NSMV is scheduled for delivery in the spring of 2023.
Keel laid for US Navy's eighth Pathfinder-class ocean survey vessel
Halter Marine of Pascagoula, Mississippi has laid the keel of the eighth and final Pathfinder-class oceanographic survey ship ordered by the US Navy.
Like its sisters, the yet-unnamed ship will be a multi-mission platform that will perform acoustic, biological, physical, and geophysical surveys to provide information on the ocean environment.
The vessel will be operated by the Military Sealift Command and will be crewed by civilian personnel.
Lloyd's Register to provide classification services for new Royal Australian Navy training sailship
Lloyd's Register (LR) has entered into an agreement with Australian shipbuilder Birdon to provide classification services and statutory approval for a new sail training ship (STS) for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
The STS will be designed by Netherlands-based Dykstra Naval Architects and will be built by Birdon at its Port Macquarie shipyard in New South Wales.
The new vessel will replace the STS Young Endeavour, which has been in operation with the RAN since 1988.
