For the Texas A&M University Maritime Academy, the journey to have a large training ship to call its own has lasted longer than some of the cadets enrolled at the academy have been alive.
“We have dreamed of this day for 21 years, ever since our last large training ship was recalled. Today, we celebrate a team that simply refused to give up,” said Col. Michael E. Fossum, ’80, vice president of Texas A&M University, chief operating officer of the Galveston campus and superintendent of the Texas A&M Maritime Academy. “Last year on Capitol Hill, I made a bold promise on behalf of our state maritime academies. I said, ‘If you build these ships, we will crew them.'”
Texas A&M University Maritime Academy came one step closer to crewing a large ship of its own following a christening ceremony July 17 on a dock at the Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia. TS Lone Star State is the fourth of five National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMV) being built for America’s maritime academies. Although the ships are identical on paper, David Kim, CEO of Hanwha Philly Shipyard, who grew up in Texas, joked during the ceremony that he likes to tell people that TS Lone Star State is “just a little bit bigger” than the others.
With towering TS Lone Star State behind them, numerous public figures took to the podium to tout the merits of America revitalizing the shipbuilding industry.
“When we look at this vessel, we must acknowledge the engine driving our merchant marine: our state maritime academies. Together, we produce up to 90% of all new licensed officers entering the active, at-sea workforce. And there is no better bargain for the taxpayer. Because our hardworking families, students and state governments carry the vast majority of the cost, it is a master class in shared responsibility that delivers a massive return on investment for America,” Fossum said.
The importance of the Lone Star State and the role of American maritime academies was echoed by the sponsor of the ship.
“Today, we send a very clear message to the world, American shipbuilding is back,” said Rachel Campos-Duffy, wife of US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and honorary sponsor for Lone Star State. “The United States of America is reclaiming her rightful place as a global commander of the sea.”
TS Lone Star State, and the other new maritime academy vessels, were built to address a critical need to address a shortage of mariners. The numbers are in, and the bold promise made by Fossum on Capitol Hill is already showing benefits on campus.
“Just the anticipation of this ship caused a massive enrollment surge at Texas A&M Maritime Academy for this fall,” Fossum said. “These vessels are so impressive, they dominate the campuses where they sit. Our cadets are no longer training on aging, hand-me-down ships; they are training on the absolute best, most high-tech platform in the world.”
Texas A&M University Maritime Academy waited over two decades for its ship to come in. Now that she is one step closer to calling Galveston home, TS Lone Star State stands ready to be a force for good, training mariners for decades to come.
“To our cadets, TS Lone Star State is proof that your country believes in your future, respects your sacrifice, and relies on your courage. We need your best for the challenges ahead—and we are giving you our best to get you ready,” Fossum said.
