SUNY Maritime Upgrades Pier for New Training Ship

As the United States Maritime Industry prepares to train the next generation of Mariners, Congress has authorized State Maritime Academies (SMAs) to have an entirely new class of purpose-built training ships that are also designed to respond to national emergencies referred to as a National Security Multi-mission Vessel (NSMV). The State University of New York (SUNY) has a Maritime College and it was designated as one of the SMAs that would be receiving one of these training vessels. In order to dock this massive new vessel, pier upgrades needed to be made to SUNY Maritime College and Marine Structures was honored to provide American Made 200 ton tee head bollards to the contractor who was handling pier construction.

Photo courtesy of Maritime Executive

SUNY’s Maritime College current training vessel, the Empire State VI, was built in 1962 and has been training students since 1989. The ship is aging, the technology is outdated and strict environmental regulations are set to limit future voyage plans. The SMA was in need of a new vessel as is the case with many of the SMAs across the United States.

According to the Maritime College SUNY’s website, the National Security Multi-Mission Vessel – an entirely new design and class of vessel will be equipped with:

• Berthing for more than 700 individuals, expandable to house 1,000 people for up to two weeks in times of humanitarian need
• Roll-on/roll-off and container storage, with a cargo crane and side ramp for self-loading
• Hospital facilities
• A helicopter landing pad
• Training spaces, including eight classrooms, a full training bridge, workshops, lab spaces and an auditorium
• Thrusters and a flap-type rudder to allow the ship to moor without tugs
• Open configuration options

In order to have a ready reserve of mariners prepared to serve the United States at a moment’s notice, each SMA needs a way to train them. Congress has appropriated funding to replace aging training vessels at SUNY Maritime College, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Maine Maritime Academy and Texas A&M Maritime Academy, respectively. The keel was laid for this ship in December of 2021. You can watch the keel laying ceremony here. 

 “Today’s first NSMV keel laying is a critical milestone in an innovative effort that is producing state-of-the-art vessels in an American shipyard that will both train the next generation of American mariners and provide a new disaster response capability for the nation,” said Acting Maritime Administrator Lucinda Lessley. “We commend everyone who is working hard to keep this effort on schedule and on budget, and we look forward to the final delivery of the first ship.”

According to Maritime Executive, this new vessel arrived at Olivet Pier, SUNY Maritime College accompanied by a parade of ships on Monday, September 18, 10:30 a.m. Tours of the ship will be available for elected officials, VIPS and members of the press after the Arrival and Delivery Ceremony on Friday, September 22, 9:00 a.m.

Stay tuned for additional updates on bollards that Marine Structures has provided to these maritime academies. Marine Structures provides quality bollards, cleats and fenders at a competitive price across the United States and the world.