Third US Training Ship State of Maine Delivered to MARAD
The third newly built U.S. training ship for the merchant marine, the State of Maine, was handed over to TOTE Services and delivered to the U.S. Maritime Administration. It will be the fifth training vessel, and the first purpose-built vessel, to be operated by the Maine Maritime Academy, located in Castine, Maine.
The handover to the U.S. government took place at the Hanwha Philly Shipyard, and the vessel is scheduled to depart for Maine in the coming days. Once it arrives in Portland, Maine, there will be an official arrival ceremony and formal handover to Maine Maritime. From there, preparation will begin for the inaugural Sea Term, scheduled to begin in May 2026. Work is underway to build a new steel pier at the academy, which will serve as her permanent berth.
“We are proud to deliver another state-of-the-art training ship to MARAD,” said Jeff Dixon, President of TOTE Services. “The expertise of our new construction team and the strong partnership with Hanwha Philly Shipyard demonstrate how collaboration between the private sector and government can successfully deliver complex, mission-critical assets for our nation.”
TOTE was appointed Vessel Construction Manager for the project by MARAD and is responsible for overseeing the design, construction, delivery, and warranty phases of the project. The program has been promoted as an example of using commercial best practices to deliver ships for the government.
The third ship in a series of five, following Empire State (New York) and Patriot State (Massachusetts), the first block for the State of Maine was placed in the dry dock in May 2023. Her naming ceremony was in August 2025, but shortly after that, a problem was discovered in the propulsion system during dockside trials. The tail shaft, stern tube bearing, other bearings, and propulsion components had to be removed for examination, repair, or replacement.
“Delivering NSMV III marks a historic milestone for Hanwha Philly Shipyard — our first major vessel completed under the Hanwha banner and a testament to the dedication of our workforce,” said David Kim, CEO of Hanwha Philly Shipyard. “NSMV III will play a vital role in training the next generation of maritime leaders, and this delivery reflects our commitment to steady progress, accountability, and building a strong foundation for the future of the shipyard.”
The State of Maine replaces a 1990-built vessel of the same name that served as the academy’s training ship for 27 years and completed her final training cruise in 2024. Maine Maritime reports that berthing capacity will be “vastly expanded compared with past training ships.” Unlike in the past, when the state maritime schools had to make do with outdated "hand me downs" from MARAD, the National Security Multi-Mission Vessels are the first dedicated training ships built for the schools. Maine highlights its cadets will “train on a state?of?the?art platform complete with eight classrooms, a dedicated training bridge and navigation lab, two full?sized engine rooms, laboratory and workshop space, an auditorium, roll-on/roll-off and container capacity, and even a helipad.”
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Each of the vessels is 525 feet (160 meters) in length and 8,500 dwt (26,000 gross tons). The State of Maine can accommodate 600 cadets, and it is also designed to conduct humanitarian missions, with up to 1,000 people and a full medical facility.
Work is advanced on the fourth ship, Lone Star State, which was floated in January 2025 and is assigned to Texas A&M Maritime College. The keel blocks for the fifth ship were put in the dry dock in March 2025, and it has been assigned to Cal Poly Maritime Academy in California, which is the only degree-granting maritime academy on the U.S. West Coast.