nippon foundation
The project is currently the largest shipbuilding effort underway in the United States. Congress appropriated funding to replace aging training vessels at SUNY Maritime College, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Maine Maritime Academy, and Texas A&M Maritime Academy. TOTE Services retains an option for a fifth NSMV for the California State University Maritime Academy, if additional funding is appropriated by Congress. (MARAD, www.maritime.dot.gov; Philly Shipyard, www.phillyshipyard.com) … In December, the New Bedford Whaling Museum opened a provocative art exhibition that examines humanity’s relationship with nature and draws comparisons between our current oil-driven society and Herman Melville’s dark depictions of the 19th century. Loomings: Christopher Volpe is named for the first chapter of Moby-Dick and features a series of paintings combining tar, oil paint, and gold leaf to create enigmatic, thought-provoking marine images. The exhibition recalls that whale oil was the precursor to petroleum, and invokes Mel-
Sou’Wester, by Christopher Volpe tar on canvas (2018) ville’s apocalyptic vision of the destructive, never-ending pursuit of wealth as a cautionary tale for our own age. Loomings runs through 8 May 2022. (18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA; www.whaling museum.org)
Explore the decks of the last Destroyer Escort afloat in America. 518-431-1943 ussslater.org
philly shipyard
Nippon Foundation launched the Meguri 2040 project in 2020, as an effort to reduce the element of human error in causing maritime accidents and to address the persistent shortage of personnel. The foundation funded five consortia to test practical examples of unmanned ship navigation; target of the program is the implementation of autonomous shipping by 2025. In addition to the small tourism boat, container vessel, and coastal ferry, autonomous navigation of an amphibious vehicle is also being studied as part of the project. (www. nippon-foundation.or.jp/en) … On 10 December, Philly Shipyard hosted a keellaying ceremony for the first of five new National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMV), which is designated to go to SUNY Maritime College in 2023. The vessels are designed to provide a training platform for cadets at the state maritime academies across the country and to be available for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions when they arise. “As part of shipbuilding tradition, the keel laying ceremony invites good luck in the construction and life of a ship as the first prefabricated block is lowered into the building dock,” said Steinar Nerbovik, president and CEO of Philly Shipyard. Each NSMV will feature instructional spaces, a full training bridge, and have accommodations for up to 600 cadets. The vessels are designed to also serve as highly functional national assets that include modern medical facilities, a helicopter pad, the ability
to accommodate up to 1,000 people in times of humanitarian need, and roll-on/ roll-off and container storage capacity for use during disaster relief missions. In May 2019, MARAD awarded TOTE Services the contract to serve as the vessel construction manager for the NSMV program. In April 2020, TOTE Services awarded Philly Shipyard the contract to construct up to five NSMVs with fixed prices and schedules. SEA HISTORY 178, SPRING 2022
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