New Maine Maritime Academy Training Ship Returns to Upgraded Pier

The new National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) training ship State of Maine returned from a training cruise and was able to berth at its own assigned pier for the very first time in in July 2026.

State of Maine, a purpose-built, state-of-the-art training vessel, is designed to revolutionize the educational experience cadets receive as a part of the Maine Maritime Academy’s unlimited license program.  The NSMV is owned by the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), and jointly operated by MARAD and Maine Maritime Academy. It is an advanced training vessel that will ensure MMA students receive the highest quality, hands-on educational opportunities available anywhere in the world.

Guice Offshore and Maine Maritime Academy often intersect in the U.S. commercial maritime sector through regional workforce pipelines, shared professional networking, and emerging offshore energy initiatives. 

State of Maine was delivered to the Maine Maritime Academy in March 2026, but has been waiting on the school to finish the new pier since then.  The newly upgraded facility now fully accommodates the vessel with more-than-double the dock space from 500 to over 1,100 linear feet.  The two-phase project is a part of a larger $100+ million improvement project for the entire waterfront and its facilities currently underway with its contractors Reed & Reed, GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc., and Colliers Engineering.  Constructed of 354 twenty-four inch diameter steel pilings, the new pier will replace the old timber pile pier built in the 1960s, which was later reinforced in the 1990s. 

Phase One includes the new pier, which is supported by 243 steel pipe piles socketed 10 feet into bedrock. Precast and cast-in-place concrete pile caps support precast deck panels and a cast-in-place concrete deck. In addition, Reed & Reed crews are building three new pile supported mooring dolphins, a precast concrete breakwater and new docking facilities for the Academy’s fleet of watercraft and training vessels.

With the Phase One concrete pier in place, crews then installed all-new fender panels, bollards and various other enhancements plus utilities.

Phase One entered service when the State of Maine arrived on July 12, 2026.  Meanwhile, the final remaining waterfront upgrades and second-phase work now continue toward a mid-2027 completion.

Phase Two of the project entails demolition of the existing timber pier and construction of a driven pile supported pier, which will connect the newly built pier to land.

Resiliency is a key design element of the project.  Reed & Reed explains that the pier incorporates upgraded materials and construction techniques to withstand tidal pressures, ice, and severe coastal storms. Environmental protection measures are also in place to minimize turbidity, protect marine habitats, and comply with regulatory standards during construction. When finished, the upgraded pier will be a robust and modern facility, providing a state-of-the-art training environment for the Academy’s fleet and programs for decades to come.

About the State of Maine NSMV Vessel

The State of Maine is equipped with a dedicated training bridge and navigation lab, two full-sized engine rooms, eight classrooms, laboratory space, an auditorium, and a helipad.  Cadet capacity on State of Maine is increasing from 245 to 600.   

In addition to being an educational platform, the NSMV is a federal asset capable of responding to humanitarian disasters with the ability to provide emergency services. All five NSMVs, part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet, will be equipped to respond to and support major federal relief efforts in response to natural disasters. The NSMVs will be able to provide hospital facilities, helicopter landing capabilities, a roll-on/roll-off ramp, container storage space, and berthing for up to 1,000 people.

Other features include:

• Water desalination capabilities
• Thrusters and a flap-type rudder to allow the ship to moor without tugs
• A cargo crane and side ramp for self-loading

The $330 million NSMV State of Maine is the third of five similar training vessels commissioned by the United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) and built at Hanwha Philly Shipyard, with construction management by TOTE Services.  

In addition to the State of Maine, the other four members of the all-new NSMV fleet include: