The US Maritime Administration (MarAd) is gearing up to hire an American company to help it place an order for a ship that, among its multiple missions, will serve as a training vessel for future mariners at an academy in New York.

Bidding documents were expected to be released this week for a role as vessel construction manager for the first of five national security multi-mission vessels (NSMVs), which will replace the 14,600-gt Empire State (built 1962).