US Maritime Administration's newest large training ship formally named

A new large training vessel that will be operated by the Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA) on behalf of the US Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD) was formally named in a ceremony in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Monday, September 9.

Patriot State is the second in a series of national security multi-mission vessels (NSMVs) being built by Philly Shipyard for MARAD. The first ship in the class is Empire State, which was handed over to the State University of New York Maritime College (SUNY Maritime College) in 2023.

The NSMVs 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, they will also incorporate medical capabilities, a command and control platform, and berthing for up to 1,000 first responders and recovery workers.

Patriot 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.

For the disaster relief role, the NSMV relies on a side Ro-Ro ramp, space for containers, a cargo crane, and a helicopter pad.

TOTE Services, the shipmanagement company that oversaw the construction of Patriot State, said the NSMV fleet will address a critical shortage of qualified officers necessary to crew government- and commercial-owned sealift ships.