The training vessel of the United States Maritime Service EMPIRE STATE payed Port of Reykjavik visit on July 23rd 2019. She will stay here in the port for few days. She was build by Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newport News, Virginia in 1962 for the States Lines as the SS OREGON. In 1977 she was sold to Moore McCormack Lines who renamed the vessel MORMACTIDE. She went to United States Lines in 1983 when USL purchased MML.

In 1988 Mormactide was taken to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, and underwent a conversion to a Training Ship and renamed Empire State as the sixth vessel bearing that name. Delivered to the State University of New York Maritime College on New Year’s Eve in 1989.

I had the opportunity to pay the vessel a visit today (July 26th) on Captain Morgan McManus invitation. One of the third grade cadets, Maxwell Mandina, took me around showing me the oldest training vessel in the US fleet now 57 years old. She is absolutely a masterpiece but apart from being old she is proud reminder of the merchant ships in the sixties. I met friendliness by all of the crew and cadets that I met onboard finding the sign of very good ship with over 500 crew and cadets onboard.

Plans are already for her replacement with a National Security Multi-Mission Vessel design which are expected to enter service in 2022. The old lady will depart Reykjavik tomorrow heading for the Iceland north coast passing the Arctic Circle before heading to her homeport of New York. (Sources: Wikipedia)