The new 525' National Security Multi-Mission Vessel training ship Patriot State is set to embark on its inaugural Sea Term, departing from Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA) on Saturday, Jan. 11, and visiting ports that include San Juan, Puerto Rico; Charleston, S.C.; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; and Tampa, Fla. The ship is anticipated to return at the end of February.
Patriot State has a 21'4" draft and a range of 10,000-plus miles at 18 knots. It has diesel electric propulsion with 16,800 kW of total installed power plus a 900-kW emergency generator. Full speed is 18 knots.
The cadets will prepare for the trip during alongside week (Jan. 6-10), a traditional time spent loading the vessel with all the food, supplies, and training equipment needed for the voyage. Sea Term will be led by Capt. Michael J. Campbell, Master, T.S. Patriot State, and an MMA graduate from the class of 1987.
Departure is scheduled for the high slack tide on Jan. 11. The ship will head toward its first training exercise outside Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, on Friday, Jan. 17. The marine transportation cadets will take part in anchoring drills, during which time they will practice dropping and picking up the anchor, while engineers will practice maneuvering operations in the engine room.
From there, the ship will head to San Juan for arrival on Friday, Jan. 24. Over the weekend an event will be held in conjunction with TOTE Services, the company that oversaw the building of the vessel, as well an “Open Ship” for prospective students, providing an opportunity to showcase both the training ship and career opportunities available in the maritime and related industries.
Patriot State will then head to Charleston, S.C. (Jan. 31 through Feb. 3), and St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (Feb. 7 through Feb. 10), before arriving at its final port of call, Tampa, Florida, on Friday, Feb. 14. MMA Admissions will host a second Open Ship for prospective students throughout the day on Saturday, Feb. 15. The ship will begin its return to campus on Monday, Feb. 17. The Open Ship events are designed specifically for high school students interested in MMA as a possible college.
This Sea Term marks the first extended voyage for the TS Patriot State, which arrived on campus on Oct. 10, 2024. The National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) is designed to provide a state-of-the-art training platform that ensures the U.S. continues to set the world standard in maritime training. The ship is outfitted with numerous training spaces, including eight classrooms, a full training bridge, lab spaces and an auditorium. The NSMV has space to train up to 600 cadets at sea (with another 100 or so staff, crew, and personnel), maximizing the capability of the ship and its mission to provide cadets with a world-class education.
“The campus has been abuzz since the Patriot State arrived this fall, and as we get closer to her first Sea Term, the excitement is palpable,” Rear Adm. Francis X. McDonald, USMS, president of Massachusetts Maritime Academy, said in a statement announcing the sea term. “Sea Term has always proved to be an invaluable learning opportunity and window into careers in the shipping and maritime industries for our students, and this new vessel will provide an immeasurable return on investment. The whole range of opportunities associated with a maritime life will be on full display, and our cadets have the true benefit of being immersed in all of it.”
Sea Term is an Academy requirement for all freshmen and sophomore cadets majoring in marine engineering (engine) and marine transportation (deck) and freshmen majoring in energy systems engineering, along with senior deck and engine majors. A typical day for cadets includes rotating through classes, participating in laboratory training at sea, routine maintenance, ship operations, deck and engine watches, and emergency drills. Sea Term participation also helps cadets fulfill the days at sea requirement needed to sit for the U.S. Coast Guard exam.
Patriot State replaces Massachusetts Maritime Academy’s previous training ship, the TS Kennedy, a 1967 converted cargo vessel, and is the second of five training ships commissioned by the U.S. Marine Administration (Marad) in an effort to modernize an aging training fleet with new purpose-built NSMVs that not only enhance the training capabilities of the nation’s maritime academies but also serve as critical assets for federal support during times of need.
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