Our Fleet
Training Vessels
In keeping with our learn-do-learn philosophy, we have an entire spectrum of training vessels where you’ll put lessons learned from the classroom into practice.
USTS Kennedy
All Aboard for a Sea Term
Sea Term is a six-week, hands-on voyage. Cadets enrolled in Marine Engineering and Marine Transportation must complete at least four Sea Terms that typically take place in January and February between academic terms.
Sea Term affords cadets the opportunity to rotate through class and laboratory training. This training ranges from ship operations, maintenance, watch standing, to drills.
First-year students sleep in holds with dozens of their shipmates while upper class cadets live in smaller holds. The various ports of call offer time to relax and unwind. The T.S. Kennedy sails to U.S. and foreign ports of the Caribbean Sea — including transit of the Panama Canal and an equatorial crossing. Setting sail presents opportunities to develop independence and self-confidence. All majors may have the opportunity to participate in a Sea Term pending space availability and their goals within their specific major.
New Training Ship on its Way
$300 Million for a New Vessel
Congress has approved of $300 million to replace our USTS Kennedy with a new training ship.
We should collectively celebrate such a sizable investment in our university — one that will serve to stabilize the maritime education at Massachusetts Maritime Academy for at least the next four decades! What is important to know is that this effort actually funds the nation’s second purpose-built replacement ship in what should be a fleet of five National Security Multi-Mission Vessels, or NSMVs. In fact, the NSMV program is the result of a decade-long advocacy campaign by all six of the nation’s state maritime academies working in lockstep to demonstrate to Washington the critical role that our graduates play in the nation’s economy — and in our nation’s defense.
The NSMV program has been enthusiastically supported by dozens of members of Congress from across the country, including the entire Massachusetts delegation.
Other Training Vessels
We have a number of other training vessels. From marine research, to shiphandling, to the engine room, we've got you covered.
Alert
The Alert is a 26 foot 90 horsepower single screw training tug used for small boat handling and tugs and towing training.
T/V Ranger
Coastal Training Vessel
Built 1981, the coastal training vessel T/V Ranger is 71.3 feet long, with a 24 foot beam and is 108 gross tons. She has a 24 person capacity with twin screws for enhanced maneuverability and powerful 700 horsepower for towing. The Ranger conducts daily training exercises where cadets practice their ship handling and coastal navigation skills.
Hercules
The Hercules is a 26 foot, 75 horsepower twin screw for flexible maneuverability which is used as a training tug for small boat handling and tug-and-tow training.
Ex-Navy 26' Motor Whaleboats
The Academy has seven ex-Navy 26 feet single-screw motor whaleboats. The venerable boats were used by the US Navy for personnel transport, rescued downed pilots, and as a lifeboat. The school repurposed these dependable vessels to train cadets in small boat handling, tug assist, and personnel transport.
Manned Models
Our Center for Maritime Training department offers Advanced Shiphandling in Manned Models, which is primarily for experienced shiphandlers such as Pilots, Masters and OICNW. Participants will hone their shiphandling skills on topics including: anchoring, docking, undocking, slow speed maneuvering, experiment with movement of the pivot point, advance and transfer, passing in narrow channels, shallow water effect, wind effect, thruster work and much more. For piloting organizations that are not seeking STCW credit, the manned models can be utilized for a variety of ship handling training evolutions.
Tall Ship
SSV ERNESTINA-MORRISSEY
The SSV Ernestina-Morrissey was built in 1894 at the James and Tarr Shipyard for the Gloucester fishing fleet. As well as being a fishing vessel, over the course of her long history she sailed to within 600 miles of the North Pole, and later brought immigrants to the U.S. Returned to the US in 1982 as a gift from the newly independent Cape Verdean people, she sailed as an educational vessel until 2005.
26' Monomoys
Cadets train in teamworks rowing in these 26' open boats. All USCG licensed cadets must pass rowing commands, small boat handlings, and racing. These boats often have 8-10 oars and a sweep oar acts as a rudder. The original monomoy boats were designed for the high surf area off Monomoy Island off Chatham, Massachusetts.
24' Crew Transfer Boat
The 24' twin outboard motors Catalina Sea Skiff with custom bow modification designed to simulate crew transfer to an offshore wind turbine. The boat also serves to support oil spill response training and coastal research.
8-ton Hydrokinetic Barge
The Academy has a special-purpose 8-ton, 25 feet x 35 feet aluminum catamaran barge to test hydrokinetic tidal turbines. It has a center-open well 17 feet wide with lifting crane to deploy and recover tidal turbines.
R/V Zostra
The Research Vessel Zostera supports the Marine Science, Safety and Environmental Protection Department coastal ecology science program. The 22-foot vessel is designed for shallow water investigations and is even equipped with a motor vertical lift “Jack Plate”. The center console T-Top has two video screens displaying the high definition underwater camera feed. The video is routed through a Proteus V overlay of the GNSS positioning system. This allows accurate reoccupation of sampling stations. Full water quality, benthic Van Veen grab, hydrophone and similar marine sciences tools are onboard.
