MARAD scraps Empire State deployment after just three weeks in Virginia
The U.S. Maritime Administration abruptly cancels the 170-day mission.
The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) has canceled the planned deployment of the Empire State VII, the training vessel assigned to SUNY Maritime College, and ordered its return to New York after a brief preparation period in Virginia. The decision was announced on October 21 by Rear Admiral John A. Okon, president of the college.
The ship, which left its home campus at Fort Schuyler on September 30, arrived in Norfolk, Virginia, on October 1 for what was expected to be a month-long stay. During that time, it underwent maintenance and flight deck certification at the General Dynamics NASSCO facility in Portsmouth. However, MARAD reversed course, and the vessel will now return to Fort Schuyler by mid-November to resume its academic mission.
Impact on SUNY Maritime College: Empire State
The Empire State VII is a critical component of SUNY Maritime College’s curriculum, providing cadets with hands-on training, sea time, and shipboard experience required for U.S. Coast Guard certification. Its absence disrupted these activities, making its return a priority for the institution.
In a message to the college community, Okon emphasized the ship’s importance, calling it “a classroom, a laboratory, and an essential part of the maritime experience.” He confirmed that watches and academic programs would resume no later than mid-November, though exact details of the return are still being finalized with MARAD.
Background on the vessel and its intended mission
Delivered to SUNY Maritime College in 2023, the Empire State VII is the first of a new class of National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMV), designed to serve dual roles as training ships and government support assets. The vessel can accommodate up to 600 cadets under normal conditions and up to 1,000 personnel when configured for humanitarian missions, which include a full onboard hospital.
The ship’s deployment was initially announced in late August, with preparations focused on flight deck certification. While MARAD never disclosed the specifics of the mission, speculation suggested a possible voyage to Diego Garcia, a British Indian Ocean territory used for military logistics. The vessel was last seen at the NASSCO yard in Portsmouth, positioned among Reserve Fleet ships and a destroyer.
The Empire State VII is part of a broader federal effort to modernize training fleets for state maritime academies. Massachusetts Maritime Academy and Maine Maritime Academy have already received their NSMVs, while Texas Maritime Academy took delivery of its vessel earlier this year. A fifth ship, destined for California Maritime Academy, remains under construction in Philadelphia.
«I am pleased to share an important update on Empire State VII. The federal activation plan has changed, and the ship is now expected to return to Fort Schuyler for academic use, ship work, and with watches resuming no later than the middle of November.»
Rear Admiral John A. Okon
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President, SUNY Maritime College
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