BUZZARDS BAY – The Massachusetts Maritime Academy says the Training Ship “Patriot State” is set to embark on its inaugural Sea Term this upcoming weekend.
The Patriot State will depart the Academy on Saturday, visiting ports that include San Juan, Puerto Rico, Charleston, South Carolina, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Tampa, Florida.
The Sea Term is scheduled to conclude at the end of February. It will be led by Captain Michael J. Campbell, Class of 1987.
The new training vessel can serve up to 600 cadets with a full training bridge, lab spaces and an auditorium.
“The campus has been abuzz since the Patriot State arrived this fall, and as we get closer to her first Sea Term, the excitement is palpable,” said Rear Admiral Francis X. McDonald, president of Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
“Sea Term has always proved to be an invaluable learning opportunity and window into careers in the shipping and maritime industries for our students, and this new vessel will provide an immeasurable return on investment. The whole range of opportunities associated with a maritime life will be on full display, and our cadets have the true benefit of being immersed in all of it,” he said.
Sea Term is an Academy requirement for all freshmen and sophomore cadets majoring in Marine Engineering (Engine) and Marine Transportation (Deck) and freshmen majoring in Energy Systems Engineering, along with senior Deck and Engine majors. Cadets will train on ship operations, deck and engine watches, and emergency drills.
By Jim McCabe, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
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