U.S. Navy training ship Empire State in Palma

The USTS Empire State VI   troop ship of the United States Navy and training vessel of the United States Maritime Service docked in Palma yesterday.
Each summer Empire State VI is activated for a 90 day training voyage.
Students in the Regiment of Cadets operate the vessel for a Summer Sea Term  as part of their training requirements. The vessel’s 2015 voyage departed the college on 11 May, 2015 with scheduled calls at Charleston, South Carolina; La Spezia, Italy; Belfast, Northern Ireland; Split, Croatia; Cadiz and Palma, Spain before  returning to New York on 10 August.
Empire State VI is currently under the command of SUNY Maritime College alumnus Captain Richard S. Smith who is also the Commandant of Cadets at the Maritime College.
With twenty five years of service to the Maritime College, the ship holds the record as the longest serving power-driven vessel ever used by the school. She is expected to remain in use through at least 2020.
The vessel known today as Empire State VI was originally built for States Steamship Company in Newport News, Virginia at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company as a MARAD Type C4-S-1u break bulk cargo freighter. She was delivered to the States Lines on 19 April 1962 as the SS Oregon, a name she kept until the vessel was purchased 15 February, 1977 by Moore McCormack Lines who renamed the vessel SS Mormactide. She went to United States Lines in 1983 when USL purchased MML. Although not the last private owner of the vessel, Moore McCormack Lines was the last company to operate the Empire State before being entered into government service, as USL only operated container ships.