Empire State VII to Return to New York After Months-Long Navy Mission Plans Scrapped

SUNY Maritime College’s training ship Empire State VII is expected to return to its Fort Schuyler campus by mid-November after the federal government abruptly changed plans for a months-long deployment supporting the U.S. Navy.

The reversal comes just weeks after the vessel departed New York for Norfolk, Virginia, where it was scheduled to undergo maintenance and flight deck certification ahead of a classified national security mission.

In an October 21 message to the college community, SUNY Maritime President Rear Admiral John A. Okon confirmed the change.

“I am pleased to share an important update on Empire State VII. The federal activation plan has changed, and the ship is now expected to return to Fort Schuyler for academic use, ship work, and with watches resuming no later than the middle of November,” Okon wrote.

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