Maine Maritime Academy officially took delivery of its new training vessel, the $330 million State of Maine, at a ceremony on Monday in Portland.
The 525-foot vessel is the third of five National Security Multi-Mission Vessels that will serve as the next generation training ship at maritime academies. It has two full-sized, fully functional bridges and engine rooms. It becomes the largest, most sophisticated ship operated by the academy.
It replaces a smaller training ship, also named the State of Maine, which had been a fixture on the Castine waterfront for decades.
Monday’s ceremony at the Ocean Gateway included representatives from the Maine Maritime Academy, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Maritime Administration, TOTE Services and Hanwha Philly Shipyard.
It also included U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who, as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, was central to securing the funding for the ship. She is running for reelection this year to a sixth term.
About Maine Maritime Academy
Founded in 1941, Maine Maritime Academy is a public college in Castine, offering degrees in marine engineering, transportation, management and ocean studies.
The school is one of six state maritime academies in the United States. Graduates go on to serve in the U.S. Merchant Marine, the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Military Sealift Command and in other critical industries throughout the world.
