Philly Shipyard has launched Patriot State, the second in a series of five National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMVs) it is building for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD).
The first ship in the NSMV program, the Empire State VII, was christened in June and will be delivered to the State University of New York (SUNY) Maritime College later this summer.
Patriot State will be the new cadet training ship for Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
In 2019, Congress authorized funding for the construction of the new state-of-the-art vessels, which will primarily serve as training ships for the next generation of mariners, but they can also be called upon in cases of national emergency or for national defense missions. All five vessels will be built at Philly Shipyard. The government has contracted with TOTE Services LLC to oversee the construction projects.
Construction has already begun on the other three vessels.