Page 45: of Marine News Magazine (November 2023)

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the construction of the vessel.” switchboards and dual propulsion motors.

This Congressional direction led to a MARAD Vessel Power onboard consists of Wabtec Corporation’s

Construction Manager (VCM) contract award to TOTE 16V250MDC, EPA Tier 4, IMO Tier III marine diesel

Services in 2019, leveraging their deep experience in engines designed to provide the power generation for the commercial vessel construction. In turn, TOTE Services ships’ electric grid, including the power and propulsion awarded the initial vessel construction contract in April system which is supplied and integrated by GE Power 2020 to Philly Shipyard to build the ? rst two vessels. The Conversion. For the NSMV series, Wabtec will deliver a next two vessels in the NSMV program were ordered in total of 20 x 16V250MDC Wabtec EPA T4 marine diesel 2021, followed by the ? fth and ? nal vessel in 2022. engines plus accessories to its channel partner, Cummins

The government sponsored shipbuilding program is the Sales & Service, who has the job of packaging the engines

U.S.’ ? rst to utilize the VCM model, which places the re- into marine gensets for the ? ve vessels.

sponsibility for the selection and oversight of the shipyard The NSMV series and all of its modern technology will on a government contractor that utilizes commercial best help to prepare the coming generation for real world sail- practices to manage the project. By all accounts, the pro- ing and the tech they will enter on working vessels.

gram has been heralded as a success. The second vessel of the NSMV series, Patriot State, is

The new Empire State represents a radical technological destined for the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and upgrade for SUNY Maritime, as it replaces a ship that is scheduled for delivery in 2024. Philly Shipyard recently more than 60 years old. laid the keel for State of Maine (Maine Maritime Acad-

Starting in the machinery space, Empire State has a emy) and cut ? rst steel for Lone Star State (Texas A&M modern diesel-electric power plant, built with redundancy Maritime Academy), and the yard is slated to begin con- in that there are two separate engine rooms with a pair of struction for the ? fth NSMV (California Maritime Acad- diesel generators in each, both feeding dual high voltage emy) later this year for delivery in 2026.

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