What does the sea year at the US Merchant Marine Academy entail?

Can anyone shed some light on what the sea year experience is like at the US Merchant Marine Academy? I'm curious about what cadets do during this time, how long it lasts, and how it contributes to their education.

The Sea Year at the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), also referred to as the 'Sea Training', contributes to a significant part of the USMMA's experiential learning curriculum. It's designed to give cadets hands-on experience in navigating and operating vessels while they're still studying. This immersive training period generally takes place during the second and third years of your curriculum, with each period spanning about 4 to 5 months, for a total of approximately 8 to 10 months at sea.

During this time, cadets work as part of the crew on various commercial vessels. The vessels can range from container ships to oil tankers, traveling both domestically and internationally. You'll work in different areas including deck, engineering, and steward departments, picking up real-world marine skills. This experience is designed to supplement the academic instruction at the academy and provide practical training.

As for how it contributes to your education, it allows you to gain direct experience in the maritime industry, and learn the ins and outs of maritime operations. It also gives you a chance to see and understand international trade, navigation, ship operations, and maritime law in action. It's a unique opportunity to apply your classroom learning to real-life situations, and the soft skills you acquire, like leadership, adaptability, and problem-solving, are invaluable. This experience is one of the elements that sets the USMMA apart from many other naval programs in the country.

Remember that during your Sea Year, you are also representing the USMMA, so professionalism and discipline are crucial. The training is rigorous and can be challenging, but it can also be very rewarding and exciting, given the opportunity to visit numerous ports around the world.