Summer Sea Term

Texas A&M Maritime Academy Announces Ports Of Call For Summer Sea Term 2024

The TS Kennedy in the Galveston Ship Channel

On February 8, the Texas A&M Maritime Academy announced the ports of call for Summer Sea Term 2024 (SST ’24). This summer, cadets, faculty and staff will dock in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Quebec City, Quebec; Boston, Massachusetts and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, before returning to Galveston. Find the full schedule on the SST ’24 website.

Each summer, cadets embark on a semester at sea, attending classes and gaining hands-on experience in ship navigation, marine engineering systems, maintenance, safety, security and more. They live and work aboard the 540-foot academy-operated vessel, TS Kennedy, earning sea time and training in preparation for their third mate or third assistant engineerCoast Guard licensing exams.

Cadets can pursue one of several designated license-option degrees including marine engineering technology, marine science, marine transportation, marine biology or graduate programs. All cadets in the license program must complete three sea terms: The first and third completed on board a training ship operated by Texas A&M Maritime Academy, while the second may be either on a training ship or the cadet may apply to sail on a commercial vessel, a competitive application process. Graduates from the license-option program receive their license to serve as officers aboard ocean-going and inland waterway vessels or enter military service.

As the TS Kennedy travels from port to port, cadets will have the opportunity to explore each location. Starting in Galveston, the ship will travel to Fort Lauderdale, then up the east coast, around Nova Scotia and down the St. Lawrence River to Quebec City. The next port is Boston, followed by Philadelphia, where the academy plans to visit Philly Shipyard, Inc. to see the TS Lone Star State under construction before returning home to Galveston before the start of the fall 2024 semester.

“I’m honored to lead my peers and classmates this summer as we embark on sea term,” said Cole Young ’25, the summer sea term commander and highest-ranking cadet on the ship. “Each sea term brings new obstacles with new opportunities to learn, and the practical experience we gain is so important as we prepare for the challenges we’ll face ahead in our careers as mariners.”

The United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) transferred TS Kennedy to the Galveston Campus in April 2023, which will serve as the university’s training ship until 2025, when MARAD will deliver a new, state-of-the-art National Security Multi-Mission Vessel, TS Lone Star State to the campus. This multifunctional ship will have the capacity to support 600 cadets and can act as a disaster response vessel, equipped with extensive medical facilities, helipad, roll-on/roll-off ramp and the ability to berth up to 1,000 people in times of humanitarian need.

As one of just six state maritime academies in the U.S. and the only academy on the Gulf Coast, the Texas A&M Maritime Academy trains over 400 cadets annually for maritime service and employment worldwide.

The academy will post periodic updates on social media on all platforms as @TexasMaritime. Check the SST ‘2024 site regularly for updates, and remember, details are always subject to change.