Exclusive tour opportunity: Step aboard the Empire State VII

Ship Repair USA participants will get an exclusive tour of NSMV Empire State VII.

Attendees at Marine Log’s Ship Repair USA—taking place June 10-11 in New Orleans—are invited to take part in a special guided tour of Empire State VII, SUNY Maritime College’s groundbreaking new training vessel and the first in the class of National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMV). Led by SUNY Maritime cadets, this exclusive Ship Repair USA experience offers a firsthand look at the future of maritime education and emergency response.

And with American maritime buoyed by hopes of a U.S, maritime renaissance the NSMV ships are a showcase of American marine design, technology and shipbuilding capability.

The Empire State VII is the first purpose-built training ship in U.S. history designed to meet both academic and national emergency needs. It replaces the Empire State VI, a vessel originally constructed in 1962 and used by SUNY Maritime since 1989. With changing environmental regulations and evolving mission demands, the Empire State VII answers the call for modern, sustainable, and mission-ready capabilities.

The ship is equipped with leading-edge features including:

• A high-tech training bridge, where cadets master real-time navigation and vessel operations.
• Modern hospital facilities to support humanitarian missions.
• Roll-on/roll-off and container storage capabilities, plus a cargo crane and self-loading ramp.
• A helicopter landing pad for disaster response coordination.
• Dedicated academic spaces, including eight classrooms, workshops, a full bridge simulator, lab spaces, and an auditorium.
• Dynamic positioning thrusters and a flap-type rudder that allow for docking without tug support.
• Accommodations for up to 600 cadets, expandable to house 1,000 people during crisis deployment.

During the tour, guests will visit the engine room—the powerhouse of the ship—as well as state-of-the-art lecture and laboratory facilities where cadets are trained in everything from engineering to emergency response. These features exemplify the vessel’s dual role: preparing future merchant mariners while serving as a mobile support hub for natural disasters such as hurricanes, in line with the missions of its predecessor, which aided in relief efforts for Katrina, Sandy, Harvey, Irma, and Maria.

From its steel-cutting milestone in December 2020 to its delivery in early 2023, the Empire State VII represents a new era for the U.S. maritime community—one where education, innovation, and national service are seamlessly integrated.

• More about the tour and the rest of the Ship Repair USA agenda HERE