MMA training ship Patriot State set for first Sea Term voyage

Massachusetts Maritime Academy’s new National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) training ship, TS Patriot State, is set to make its first extended voyage. The ship, which arrived on campus on October 10, 2024, is set to embark on its inaugural Sea Term, departing on Saturday, January 11, and visiting ports that include San Juan, Puerto Rico; Charleston, South Carolina; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; and Tampa, Florida. The ship is anticipated to return at the end of February.

For more than 130 years, Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA) has offered cadets the opportunity to participate in Sea Term, the epitome of hands-on learning and an environment where cadets put into practice the skills they have learned in the classroom.

The cadets will prepare for the trip during Alongside Week (January 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 the Master of the TS Patriot State, Captain Michael J. Campbell, who is an MMA graduate from the class of 1987.

Departure is scheduled for the high slack tide on Saturday, January 11. The ship will head toward its first training exercise outside Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, on Friday, January 17. The cadets majoring in marine transportation (deck) 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, January 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.

The TS Patriot State will then head to Charleston, S.C., (January 31 through February 3), and St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (February 7 through 10), before arriving at its final port of call, Tampa, Fla., on Friday, February 14. MMA Admissions will host a second Open Ship for prospective students throughout the day on Saturday, February 15. The ship will begin its return to campus on Monday, February 17. The Open Ship events are designed specifically for high school students interested in MMA as a possible college.

“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,” said Rear Admiral Francis X. McDonald, USMS, president of Massachusetts Maritime Academy. “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 United States Coast Guard exam.

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