TS ''State of Maine'' is the current

training ship A training ship is a ship used to train students as sailors. The term is mostly used to describe ships employed by navies to train future officers. Essentially there are two types: those used for training at sea and old hulks used to house classr ...

of the

Maine Maritime Academy Maine Maritime Academy (Maine Maritime or MMA) is a public college focused on maritime training and located in Castine, Maine. The academy was established by the 90th Maine Legislature on March 21, 1941. Unlike federal service academies, a congr ...

. Formerly in

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

service as the USNS ''Tanner'' (T-AGS-40), she assumed her present name and role in June 1997.

History

Previous ships

Several ships have borne the name ''State of Maine'' since the Maine Maritime Academy was founded in 1941. Previous vessels included the former , which served in the role from 1953 to 1963; ; and .

Current TS ''State of Maine''

USNS ''Tanner'' (T-AGS-40), was built for the

as a fast oceanographic

research vessel A research vessel (RV or R/V) is a ship or boat designed, modified, or equipped to carry out research at sea. Research vessels carry out a number of roles. Some of these roles can be combined into a single vessel but others require a dedicated ...

by Bethlehem Steel Corporation at its

Sparrows Point Yard Sparrow may refer to: Birds * Old World sparrows, family Passeridae * New World sparrows, family Passerellidae * two species in the Passerine family Estrildidae: ** Java sparrow ** Timor sparrow * Hedge sparrow, also known as the dunnock or hed ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

in 1990. The vessel was the second oceanographic research ship to bear the name of

Zera Luther Tanner Zera Luther Tanner (December 5, 1835 – December 16, 1906), sometimes spelled Zero, was an American naval officer, inventor, and oceanographer. Tanner invented a depth sounding system, wrote several books on hydrography and retired as a commander ...

, a noted oceanographer and inventor of a patented sounding machine. The vessel experienced catastrophic engine failure in 1993 and was laid up by the Navy and eventually transferred ownership to the Maritime Administration (MARAD). The ship lay idle in the

James River Reserve Fleet The James River Reserve Fleet (JRRF) is located on the James River in the U.S. state of Virginia at () near Fort Eustis. James River Reserve Fleet, a "ghost fleet,", is part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet. The Reserve Fleet ships in s ...

until 1996 when she began a conversion process, which removed her underwater sonar domes and equipment. The two original engines were removed and a new power plant was installed. The newer engine is significantly less powerful than the old engines. The sister ship, ''Maury'' (T-AGS-39), now the third vessel of the name TS ''Golden Bear'', retained the original and more powerful enterprise engines. TS_State_of_Maine_shipbuilder's_plate_(as_USNS_Tanner)_1990

TS_State_of_Maine_shipbuilder's_plate_(as_USNS_Tanner)_1990

The vessel was modified to increase the accommodations from 108 to 302 persons. New lifesaving equipment and upgrades to existing equipment were accomplished as well as enhancements to the habitability requirements of the vessel. She was delivered to

on 6 June 1997 and sailed her maiden training cruise the following week. ''State of Maine'' was called into active duty by the Maritime Administration (MARAD) following

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...

and provided living quarters for oil rig workers, who were working to repair damaged rigs, and for Federal Law Enforcement Officers assisting in New Orleans.

Vessel information

TS State of Maine in port at Castine, ME 2009

The ship is normally docked at her pier in Castine when not on a training cruise or in drydock. ''State of Maine'' is classed with the

American Bureau of Shipping American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

, and all inspections of her hull and equipment are undertaken by this classification society. The ship entered drydock for scheduled maintenance and inspections following the summer cruise of 2007. She also entered drydock following the Summer Cruise of 2012, keeping within the inspection schedule required by US Coast Guard Regulations. Most recently, she entered drydock at the conclusion of her 2017 summer cruise. She was observed in the dry dock at South Boston MA undergoing repairs during the first week of July 2022.

Sister ship

''State of Maine''s sister ship is TS ''Golden Bear'', the training ship of the California Maritime Academy. ''Golden Bear'' was formerly USNS ''Maury''.

References

* * *

External links

U.S. Maritime Administration
{{DEFAULTSORT:State of Maine 1990 ships Training ships of the United States