en.Wedoany.com Reported - The National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) 'State of Maine' was officially delivered to Maine Maritime Academy on March 30, with operational authority transferred from the U.S. Maritime Administration to the academy. This vessel is the third of five NSMVs currently under construction, designed to replace aging training ships at U.S. maritime academies. It is intended to support cadet training and serve as a federal response vessel during humanitarian crises and disaster relief operations.

The vessel arrived at Portland port on March 21, welcomed by a water cannon salute. A formal delivery ceremony was subsequently held at the Ocean Gateway in Portland, attended by federal and state government officials, maritime agency representatives, and industry delegates. Former Corps training officer and current First Class Senior Cadet Padraic McGrath provided a tour of the vessel for Workboat magazine.

At Maine Maritime Academy, this ship will serve as the academy's next-generation training vessel and its first purpose-built training ship. Equipped with two full-mission wheelhouses and two engine rooms, it will expand hands-on instruction for cadets. It is also the largest and most complex vessel operated by the academy.

The NSMV program is led by the U.S. Maritime Administration, with the vessels constructed by Hyundai Heavy Industries' Philadelphia Shipyard. TOTE Services serves as the shipbuilding manager for the project. U.S. Senator Susan Collins, the vessel's sponsor, spoke at the ceremony marking the official transfer of the ship to the academy. Collins noted that federal funding for the vessel has been secured through Congressional appropriations since 2019.

Senator Collins stated, "This new vessel will provide rigorous instruction and critical maritime training to Maine Maritime Academy students for decades to come. I am honored to have served as sponsor alongside former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and to be the ship's godmother. We have navigated a long journey to reach this glorious day, with many shoals and hidden rocks along the way. In 2019, as Chairman of the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, I worked to secure $300 million in funding for this vessel. Reaching an agreement between the House and Senate on that appropriations bill was a challenging task, requiring months of negotiation and advocacy."

This vessel, valued at approximately $330 million, will be used for cadet training and will support federal humanitarian and emergency response missions when needed.

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