BUZZARDS BAY – The Massachusetts Maritime Academy embarked on its annual Sea Term this past weekend.
For the first time, officials say a National Security Multi-Mission Vessel will transit through the Panama Canal.
The Academy’s new training vessel is the Patriot State. Custody was gained from the federal government in 2024. The 525-foot-long Patriot State was built from a group of state-of-the-art training vessels for America’s state maritime academies by Philly Shipyard. It includes eight classrooms, a full training bridge, lab spaces and an auditorium. It can train up to 600 cadets at sea.
Mass Maritime’s former ship, the T.S. Kennedy, was launched in 1967, was previously known as the Enterprise and replaced the original T.S. Patriot State that went out of service in 1999.
The Sea Term tradition at Mass Maritime goes back more than 130 years. This year’s Term will be led by Captain Michael Campbell, Class of 1987.
The Patriot State departed from Buzzards Bay on Saturday.
By Jim McCabe, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
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