Press Releases

5-13-2026

Massachusetts Maritime Academy’s SNAME Cadets Earn Honorable Mention at MIT Student Paper Night for Submission on Converting Merchant Ships to Mobile Power Plants

BUZZARDS BAY, MA, ISSUED MAY 13, 2026…Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA; www.maritime.edu), a top-ranked public university with undergraduate degree programs focusing on science, engineering, technology, math, and business that blend academics and experiential learning, is proud to announce that a team of six cadets in the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) recently participated in SNAME Paper Night at MIT, earning an Honorable Mention for their paper “Bulk Carrier to Mobile Powerplant: Designing Alternate Power Solutions.”
 
Researched and written by cadets Jackson Perrault, Colby Townsend, Nico Restrepo, Tiernan Moran, Devlin Keon, and Hung Tran, the paper evaluated the feasibility of converting a bulk carrier into a mobile powerplant capable of supplying electrical power to coastal and island regions during infrastructure disruptions and in areas with limited grid connectivity.

“Congratulations to Jackson, Colby, Nico, Tiernan, Devlin, and Hung for their research, compilation, and presentation of an outstanding paper,” said Dr. James McKenna, dean of undergraduate studies at Massachusetts Maritime Academy.  “Their achievement demonstrates the high level of dedication and technical skill our cadets bring to every challenge.”
 
The Student Paper Awards are conferred annually for papers presented at a meeting of SNAME, an internationally recognized society of individual members serving the maritime and offshore industries and their suppliers. 

 
About Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA)
MMA 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, MMA has prepared women and men for exciting and rewarding careers on land and sea. As the nation's finest co-ed maritime college, MMA 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. Follow MMA on FB:  @massmaritime, @MassMaritime.Advancement; IG: @massmaritime, @mmacademyalumni; Twitter: @MMAadmissions, @MMAcademyAlumni; YouTube: Massachusetts Maritime Academy.