Remarks by The Honorable Elaine Chao
18th U. S. Secretary of Transportation & 24th U. S. Secretary of Labor
At the delivery ceremony of the TS PATRIOT STATE
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts
Friday, October 11, 2024
Admiral McDonald, the Cadets and Staff of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and guests:
Congratulations on the delivery of the new National Security Multi-Mission Training Vessel, the TS PATRIOT STATE! It’s wonderful that the maritime universities around the world on campus this week can also join to celebrate this historic milestone.
Today is a dream come true for me as well. Ever since I served as deputy maritime administrator years ago, I have wanted to help replace the aging training ships. Decades later, I was fortunate to be the U. S. Secretary of Transportation and in that position was able to gather all the discretionary funds within the Department across all modes totaling $330 million and devote it to build the first NSMV vessel thus forging the path forward for the subsequent 4 sister ships. I want to note my work with Congress especially Senator Susan Collins who led the effort to help secure funding for the rest of the sister ships and the presidents of the 5 academies, including of course your own outstanding Admiral McDonald! Making this series of training ships a reality is one of the most fulfilling accomplishments in my career.
Since its founding in 1891, the Academy has had to use repurposed government supplied vessels to support the training of officers for the US Merchant Marine and military services. This is the first time in our nation’s history that the federal government has provided a purposely built, state-of-the-art training vessel. To be a skilled qualified licensed officer requires not only strict academics, it also requires learned and practiced skills onboard a ship on the open seas.
This new, state-of-the-art ship will provide the next generation of merchant mariners the knowledge and skills needed to operate the modern vessels that keep the vital supply chain of the United States open and thriving.
I also wish to thank MarAd for bringing this program to fruition, in particular Admiral Mark Buzby, Deputy Maritime Administrator Richard Balzano, Chief Counsel Doug Burnett, Kevin Tokarski and Dave Heller. I so regret not being able to be with you in person but I am with you in spirit! Congratulations again! Fair winds and following seas!
