TOTE Services, Hanwha Philly Shipyard Deliver Fourth NSMV

TOTE Services, LLC, a U.S. maritime services company specializing in vessel construction management and ship management, together with Hanwha Philly Shipyard, Inc. (HPSI), has completed the fourth of five National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMV), the LONE STAR STATE. Today, the vessel was delivered to the U.S. Department of Transportation-Maritime Administration (MARAD) and will be homeported at Texas A&M Maritime Academy.

The LONE STAR STATE is a purpose-built NSMV developed to modernize the training capabilities of the nation’s state maritime academies. The vessel will serve as Texas A&M Maritime Academy’s primary training ship, preparing cadets for careers in the U.S. Merchant Marine and supporting federal humanitarian and disaster response missions, addressing a critical shortage of qualified officers necessary to crew government- and commercial-owned sealift ships.

As the NSMV program's Vessel Construction Manager (VCM), TOTE Services oversees the design, construction, delivery, and warranty phases of the project, applying commercial best practices to deliver ships for the government on schedule and within budget. 

This model reduces government acquisition costs by at least 50% compared to traditional shipbuilding strategies. By defining requirements up front, eliminating change, and streamlining oversight, the VCM approach accelerates delivery of mission-ready vessels while allowing the shipyard to focus on precision construction and quality shipbuilding.

The LONE STAR STATE will be repositioned to Galveston, Texas, in November for an official arrival ceremony and formal handover of the vessel to Texas A&M Maritime Academy. Cadets and faculty members will embark on the vessel’s inaugural Sea Term, scheduled to begin in April 2027.