Maine Maritime’s flagship returns from first international journey following 2-year hiatus

Jun. 21—The Maine Maritime Academy flagship the State of Maine has returned to its house state after a two-month transatlantic voyage, the vessel’s first journey outdoors U.S. waters for the reason that COVID-19 pandemic started greater than two years in the past.

The voyage — or “cruise” as it’s referred to as by the ship’s crew — took the academy’s 500-foot flagship to ports alongside the East Coast, Bermuda, Ponta Delgada within the Azores and Reykjavik, Iceland, the favourite of crew member and rising senior Pieter Oudejans.

“In Iceland, we noticed lots of pure options — geysers, waterfalls, sizzling springs. Some actually good surroundings,” Oudejans mentioned on Monday, a day after the ship arrived in Portland.

The onset of the pandemic stored the ship in port in 2020 and led to a restricted voyage to U.S. ports in 2021. College students and college alike have been desperate to get again throughout the Atlantic and proceed the ship’s instructional mission.

“We need to give our college students the broadest potential worldwide expertise and publicity,” MMA President Jerry Paul mentioned. “What this ship does is precisely its identify, the ‘State of Maine.’ It tasks the values of the state of Maine by sending college students all internationally.”

The observe of cruising on the State of Maine is a long-held custom on the academy. Annually, roughly 200 rising sophomores and seniors pack and pile their sea baggage onto the ship to partake in a 70-day journey to develop their seafaring expertise.

Whereas onboard, college students like Oudejans purchase certifications and hands-on expertise for his or her future careers within the service provider marine. For Oudejans, who acted because the cadet second mate throughout the voyage, his hands-on coaching concerned navigating the ship itself.

“What you get out of it’s what you set into it,” Oudejans mentioned. “Whilst you’re (navigating), you are liable for 200 plus individuals. You need to be taught to just accept accountability.”

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Together with the scholar crew, MMA graduates have been current on the ship to assist information the younger seamen. Capt. Gordon MacArthur believes that this means to affect the subsequent era is without doubt one of the most vital obligations he has.

“Having the ability to see the subsequent era of mariners be taught, develop and prepare to exit into the trade is nice,” MacArthur mentioned. “They are saying data is energy, nevertheless it’s actually solely highly effective should you share it.”

Along with this studying expertise, the voyage additionally acts as a approach for college kids to solidify their profession decisions and type lifelong friendships.

“My freshman cruise is my most vivid reminiscence … that is what modified my thoughts from being a naval aviator,” MacArthur mentioned.

“(Cruise friendships) are the tightest bond there may be,” mentioned Paul, additionally an MMA alum. “Once you go to sea with an individual, you are buddies for all times.”