Empire State VII, callsign WDO2002, IMO number 9910313, is a training ship owned by the United States Maritime Administration and operated by SUNY Maritime College. She is the first vessel in the National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) class and has replaced the 1961-built Empire State VI. The new training ship is the seventh vessel to carry the name Empire State for the SUNY Maritime College[5] but its first purpose-built new build. The previous training ships had been converted cargo or military vessels.[6] (While SUNY refers to the ship as Empire State VII, and US Coast Guard regulations allow use of Roman numerals in a ship name,[7] the vessel displays her name as "Empire State" without a numeral.)
The preliminary and basic NSMV design was developed by the Herbert Engineering Corp. of Alameda, California,[8] and the rest of the design was completed by DSEC headquartered in Busan, Korea. While primarily a training ship the NSMV class is also to be equipped for disaster relief: a Roll-on/Roll-off side ramp, container space and crane, and a helipad.[9]
The contract for the first two NSMV vessels was signed with Philly Shipyard (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) in April 2020 with anticipated delivery in Spring of 2023.[10] Steel cutting for the first vessel began in December 2020.[11] Its keel was laid on 10 December 2021[2] and launched on 24 September 2022.[3] The vessel was delivered to the SUNY's pier on 18 September 2023.[12] In January 2024 she sailed to San Juan, Puerto Rico for her maiden voyage and as part of the Regiment of Cadets' winter sea term.
^"Training Ships of the SUNY Maritime College". Training Ship Gallery. Maritime Industry Museum at Fort Schuyler. Archived from the original on March 9, 2001. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
