About the TS Kennedy

The TS Kennedy, callsign KVMU, IMO number 6621662, is a former commercial freighter and a current training vessel of the United States Maritime Service.

Ship Specifications

Ship Specifications
Type	Training Ship
Displacement	18,549 long tons (18,847t)
Length	540ft. (160m)
Beam	76ft. (23m)
Height	119ft. 0in. (36.27m) from keel to radar mast
Draft	28ft. 6in.
Depth	42ft. 6in.
Decks	8
Installed Power	2x GE ATI Turbine 750kW, ABB Wartsila Diesel 1.3MW, Caterpillar 3406
Propulsion	2x Marine D Type 600 PSI Foster Wheeler Boilers, De Laval Steam Turbine, Single Screw, 15,500 Horsepower
Speed	21 knots (39km/h; 24mph)
Range	10,000 nautical miles
Complement	710
Crew	43
Time to Activate	3 days
Armament	600 cadets
Aircraft Carried	None
Aviation Facilities	Helicopter Pad (winch only)

General Arrangement

The General Arrangement is one of the most important documents to a ship, especially during its construction. It lays out the plans for all the decks, each compartment's purpose, and the passageways to connect. The General Arrangement is foundational to other critical documents on board such as the fire plan.

TS Kennedy General Arrangement

Vessel History

Vessel History
1964	SS Velma Lykes was laid down as SS Velma Lykes, a Maritime Administration (MARAD) subsidized break bulk cargo C4 freighter type at Avondale Industries, New Orleans, LA.
1967	SS Velma Lykes was completed and launched at Avondale Shipyards, New Orleans. She was delivered to Lykes Brothers Steamship Co. for Far East operations.
1979	SS Velma Lykes made history in 1979 when she became the first US flag vessel to call on the mainland Chinese port of Whampoa since the Chinese communist revolution.
1985	MARAD acquired SS Velma Lykes for RRF and renamed to SS Cape Bon.
1991	SS Cape Bon activated for Desert Storm.
2003	Converted as a training ship and renamed as USTS Enterprise.
2009	TS Enterprise was renamed to TS Kennedy to honor President John F. Kennedy and the Kennedy family.
2012	TS Kennedy was activated to support FEMA in response to Hurricane Sandy.
2017	TS Kennedy was activated to support hurricane relief in Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico.
2023	TS Kennedy transferred to Texas A&M Maritime Academy.

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