National Security Multi-Mission Vessel Program Achieves Construction Milestone with Second Keel Laying
September 29, 2022
PHILADELPHIA – TOTE Services, LLC, (“TOTE Services”) an affiliate of TOTE, LLC (“TOTE Group”) and Philly Shipyard, Inc. (“Philly Shipyard”), the sole operating subsidiary of Philly Shipyard ASA (XOAX: PHLY) today marked a significant construction milestone at a keel laying ceremony for the second of five new purpose built, state-of-the-art training vessels for America’s state maritime academies. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) new vessel program – known as National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMVs) – was designed to provide world-class training for America’s future mariners and to support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions in times of need.
The keel laying is a ceremonial recognition in which the first grand block of the vessel is loaded into the building dock. Keel laying traditions are said to bring good luck to the ship during construction and to the captain and crew that will sail on the vessel throughout her operating life. The second NSMV is scheduled to be delivered to Massachusetts Maritime Academy in 2024.
“We are proud to host Massachusetts Maritime Academy for the Patriot State’s keel laying ceremony, which continues a long-standing shipbuilding tradition where the first prefabricated block – known as the keel – is lowered into the building dock and coins are placed as a gesture of good luck in the construction and life of a ship,” said Steinar Nerbovik, President and CEO of Philly Shipyard. “This milestone event gives us the chance to reflect on the continued success of the NSMV program as well as the future of maritime education in Buzzards Bay.”
The NSMV is an important investment in America’s shipbuilding industry, which supports nearly 400,000 U.S. jobs. Each NSMV will feature numerous instructional spaces, a full training bridge, and accommodations for up to 600 cadets to train in a first-rate maritime academic environment at sea. State maritime academies graduate more than half of all new officers each year—the merchant mariners who help keep cargoes and our economy moving. Many also support U.S. national security by crewing military sealift vessels.
“TOTE Services is proud to join leaders of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and its cadets to celebrate this incredible milestone that is the keel laying of NSMV-II,” said TOTE Services President Jeff Dixon. “Once delivered, this vessel will provide a best-in-class platform to ensure our nation’s future maritime officers get the instructional training they need to continue leading our nation’s merchant marine, keep cargoes moving, and support our national security by crewing military sealift vessels.”
MARAD selected TOTE Services to be the vessel construction manager (VCM) for the NSMV program in May 2019 to ensure the utilization of best practices in commercial ship construction. As an industry leader in vessel services, ship management and marine operations, TOTE Services is overseeing development of these new vessels, which will provide a strong U.S. maritime fleet, crewed by the world’s best trained merchant mariners. In April 2020, TOTE Services awarded Philly Shipyard a contract to construct up to five NSMVs. These ships will be owned and operated by MARAD.
“The keel laying ceremony is an event that never gets old, and this one was especially meaningful, given the future intended use of the Patriot State,” said Rear Admiral Francis X. McDonald, President of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. “The NSMVs are historic for all of the state maritime academies, and will offer needed training platforms for the next generation of mariners, as well as serve as essential support vessels in times of disaster or distress. We are honored that the Massachusetts Maritime Academy has been designated as the recipient of this vessel, and are incredibly grateful for the commitment it shows to our future mariners.”
Congress has appropriated funding to replace aging training vessels at SUNY Maritime College, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Maine Maritime Academy, Texas A&M Maritime Academy and California State University Maritime, respectively.
Last week, NSMV 1 – Empire State – was launched giving way in the building dry dock for NSMV 2 – Patriot State. The launch marks the first time the vessel was floated as it moved to the outfitting dry dock for the remainder of the construction process. Empire State will be completed and delivered to SUNY Maritime College in 2023.
About TOTE Services
TOTE Services, LLC (“TOTE Services”) is a leading U.S.-based ship management company that skillfully and expertly provides crewing and technical services to meet the needs of commercial, privately owned and U.S. Government vessels. Since 2015, TOTE Services has overseen construction and management of the world’s first LNG powered container ships, activated U.S. training ships to support disaster relief and managed many MARAD vessels. TOTE Services, along with TOTE Maritime Alaska, LLC and TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico, LLC, comprise the TOTE group of companies. The TOTE group is part of the Saltchuk family of companies. www.toteservices.com
About Philly Shipyard
Philly Shipyard, Inc. (PSI) is a leading U.S. shipbuilder that is presently pursuing a mix of commercial and government work. It possesses a state-of-the-art shipbuilding facility and has earned a reputation as a preferred provider of oceangoing merchant vessels with a track record of delivering quality ships, having delivered around 50% of all large ocean-going Jones Act commercial ships since 2000. PSI is the sole operating subsidiary of Philly Shipyard ASA. Philly Shipyard ASA is listed on the Euronext Expand Oslo (XOAX: PHLY) and is majority-owned by Aker Capital AS, which in turn is wholly-owned by Aker ASA (Aker). Aker is an industrial investment company that exercises active ownership to create value. Aker has ownership interests in oil and gas, renewable energy and green technologies, maritime assets, marine biotechnology and industrial software, and its portfolio includes companies like Aker BP, Aker Horizons, Aker BioMarine, Cognite, and Aker Solutions. For more information about Philly Shipyard, visit www.phillyshipyard.com.
About Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Massachusetts Maritime Academy is a fully accredited, four-year, co-educational state university offering Bachelor and Master of Science degrees that are highly regarded in the worldwide maritime industry and beyond. For more than 100 years, the Academy has prepared women and men for exciting and rewarding careers on land and sea. As the nation’s finest co-ed maritime college, the Academy challenges students to succeed by balancing a unique regimented lifestyle with a typical four-year college environment. Located on Cape Cod, at the mouth of the scenic Cape Cod Canal, Massachusetts Maritime Academy is the ideal college to pursue the love for the ocean, concern for the environment, interest in math and science, and a thirst for adventure. For more information on Massachusetts Maritime Academy, visit www.maritime.edu.