(PHILADELPHIA) — TOTE Services and Hanwha Philly Shipyard have completed the fourth of five national security multi-mission vessels (NSMVs), Lone Star State. On Friday, the vessel was delivered to the U.S. Maritime Administration (MarAd) and will be home-ported at Texas A&M Maritime Academy.
Lone Star State is a purpose-built NSMV developed to modernize the training capabilities of the nation’s state maritime academies. The vessel will serve as Texas A&M Maritime Academy’s primary training ship, preparing cadets for careers in the U.S. merchant marine and supporting federal humanitarian and disaster response missions, addressing a critical shortage of qualified officers necessary to crew government- and commercial-owned sealift ships.
“The delivery of Lone Star State to the Texas A&M Maritime Academy marks another major milestone for the NSMV program,” said Jeff Dixon, president of TOTE Services. “The Lone Star State will do more than train the next generation of mariners – it will stand ready to answer the call from natural disasters to humanitarian relief needs. The success of the NSMV program and the VCM model behind it proves that government and industry can deliver complex ships on time, on budget, and without compromising quality. This is what the future of U.S. shipbuilding looks like.”
As the NSMV program’s vessel construction manager (VCM), TOTE Services oversees the design, construction, delivery, and warranty phases of the project, applying commercial best practices to deliver ships for the government on schedule and within budget.
This model reduces government acquisition costs by at least 50 percent compared to traditional shipbuilding strategies. By defining requirements up front, eliminating change, and streamlining oversight, the VCM approach accelerates delivery of mission-ready vessels while allowing the shipyard to focus on precision construction and quality shipbuilding.
“Delivering the Lone Star State is a proud achievement for our shipbuilders, whose skill and dedication brought this important vessel to completion,” said David Kim, CEO of Hanwha Philly Shipyard. “We are honored to see it begin its service at Texas A&M Maritime Academy, where it will help prepare the next generation of mariners and support our nation when called upon.”
“The delivery of the Lone Star State is a testament to the continued success of the Maritime Administration’s NSMV program. This vessel is more than just a training platform; it is an example of our investment in our maritime workforce and our unwavering commitment to maintaining American maritime dominance for generations to come,” said Maritime Administrator Stephen Carmel.
Lone Star State will be repositioned to Galveston, Texas, in November for an official arrival ceremony and formal handover of the vessel to Texas A&M Maritime Academy. Cadets and faculty members will embark on the vessel’s inaugural Sea Term, scheduled to begin in April 2027.
About the NSMV program
The NSMV program is designed to provide a purpose-built, state-of-the-art training platform for the state maritime academies in New York, Massachusetts, Maine, Texas, and California, respectively.
This next-generation training fleet will address a critical shortage of qualified officers necessary to crew government and commercial-owned sealift ships. In addition to providing world-class training for America’s future mariners, the NSMVs will be available to support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions in times of need.
The NSMV will feature numerous instructional spaces, a full training bridge, and have space 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 the economy moving. Many also support U.S. national security by crewing government sealift vessels.
In addition to being a state-of-the-art training and educational platform, each ship will feature modern hospital facilities, a helicopter pad, and the ability to accommodate up to 1,000 people in times of humanitarian need. Adding to the NSMV’s capability, it will provide needed roll-on/roll-off and container storage capacity for use during disaster relief missions.
Vessel specifications
Length: 524.4 feet
Breadth: 88.5 feet
Draft, scantling: 24.6
Total berthing: 760 people
Speed: 18 knots
Deadweight: 8,487 MT
– TOTE Services
