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Lamar State College christened its new training vessel, T.V. Margie, during a special ceremony Thursday. The mobile barge provides hands-on experience to the Maritime program. 

The 39-foot vessel was purchased using funds from the Texas Reskilling and Upskilling Through Education Grant and includes a barge to train students on the water in safe maritime operations procedures. The vessel will be used throughout Orange and Jefferson counties as well as all over the state.

The U.S. Coast Guard-approved vessel was blessed by Father Sinclair Oubre before LSCO President Thomas Johnson officially christened the ship by breaking the traditional champagne bottle over the bow of the ship.

The vessel earns its name after LSCO President Thomas Johnson’s mother, Margie Louella Johnson. She served as a Rosie the Riveter during World War II, filling a workspace typically held by men at the time. Margie Johnson died in 2016 after being married for 71 years.

 “The T.V. Margie represents a major step forward in providing real-world, industry-relevant training for our students,” Johnson said. “This vessel will not only prepare students for in-demand maritime careers but will also carry forward the legacy of my mother, Margie Louella Johnson, whose resilience, hard work and determination continue to inspire us all.”