 TS General Rudder on approach to Texas A&M Maritime Academy, 2019
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | USNS Contender (T-AGOS-2) |
| Operator | USNS |
| Ordered | September 26, 1980 |
| Builder | Tacoma Boatbuilding Company, Tacoma, Washington |
| Laid down | January 10, 1983 |
| Launched | December 20, 1983 |
| Sponsored by | Mrs. Sarah Sumner Rowden |
| Acquired | June 9, 1984 |
| Stricken | December 11, 1992 |
| Fate | Disposed of by title transfer to MARAD on October 1, 1992 |
| Status | Converted into training vessel TV Kings Pointer for the US Merchant Marine Academy and later renamed/refitted as TS General Rudder |
 United States | |
| Name | T/V Kings Pointer |
| Owner | United States Maritime Administration |
| Operator | United States Merchant Marine Academy |
| Acquired | 1992 |
| In service | 1992-2012 |
| Homeport | Kings Point, New York |
| Fate | Transferred to Texas A&M Maritime Academy |
| United States | |
| Name | T/V General Rudder |
| Owner | United States Maritime Administration |
| Operator | Texas A&M University at Galveston |
| Acquired | 2012 |
| In service | 2012-2019 |
| Homeport | Galveston, Texas |
| Identification |
|
| Status | Active |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Training Vessel |
| Tonnage | 1,914 GT;574 NT |
| Displacement | 2,285 tons (at design draft) |
| Length | 224 ft (68 m) |
| Beam | 43 ft (13 m) |
| Height | 71 ft (22 m) |
| Draft | 16.0 ft (4.9 m) |
| Ice class | ABS Class C0 |
| Installed power | 4x Caterpillar D398TA Generators; 2x General Electric Motors; 1600 hp |
| Speed | 12 knots |
| Capacity | 228,615 gallons diesel (98% capacity) |
| Crew | 64 |
TS General Rudder is the primary training vessel of Texas A&M Maritime Academy. In operation with Texas A&M since 2012, it originated as the USNS Contender (T-AGOS-2), a Stalwart-class Modified Tactical Auxiliary General Ocean Surveillance Ship of the United States Navy. It also served as the flagship of the United States Merchant Marine Academy training fleet from 1992-2012.