THE United States training vessel Golden Bear is currently berthed in Suva, Fiji.
Fiji Ports Terminal Limited’s monthly shipping schedule shows the ship arrived in Suva Port on Monday and is expected to depart on Friday, June 12.
According to Cal Poly Maritime Academy, the Training Ship Golden Bear (TSGB) is where cadets bring ‘Learn by Doing’ to life, on campus and at sea.
The ship serves as the primary floating classroom, laboratory, and training vessel for the Cal Poly Maritime Academy (formerly California State University Maritime Academy).
Cadets in marine transportation and engineering use the ship to apply their classroom knowledge in real-world situations.
Cal Poly Maritime Academy is the only degree-granting maritime academy on the US West Coast.
Each summer, first- and third-year cadets spend two months aboard the vessel, applying technical knowledge from the classroom and leadership skills from the Corps of Cadets.
They are guided by licensed faculty officers who take on real-world responsibilities — navigating the Pacific and beyond while gaining firsthand experience at sea and on shore.
More than 300 Cal Poly Maritime Academy cadets are now in the Pacific aboard TSGB for the 2026 Summer Sea Term, the vessel’s final Pacific voyage after 30 years of service to the academy and the first since the transition to Cal Poly Maritime Academy.
With stops in Tahiti, Fiji and Honolulu, cadets have gained practical experience aboard the vessel navigating conditions at sea and preparing for careers across the maritime industry.
As TCGB enters its final chapter ahead of retirement in 2026, the voyage represents both a longstanding tradition and the beginning of a new era for the academy.
The vessel (IMO 8834407, MMSI 367978000) was built in 1989 (37 years old) and currently sails under the flag of United States (US). It is 152-m long, 22m wide and has a deadweight capacity of 6974 tonnes.
In 2025, cadets aboard the ship gained firsthand experience by docking in Kauai, Guam, and Japan, engaging with a variety of maritime communities and honing their skills in different operational settings.
The Cal Poly Maritime Academy fleet began with Training Ship California State (1931–1946).
Since then, there has been a series of Golden Bear vessels, including the first Training Ship Golden Bear (1946–1971), the second Training Ship Golden Bear (1971–1995) and the third and current Training Ship Golden Bear, which has been in service since 1996.
From Fiji, the ship departs for Los Angeles before reaching its home port in Vallejo, California in the first week of July.
(This article was written using information available on website maritime.calpoly.edu)
Right: TSGB skipper, Captain Samar Bannister. Picture: maritime.calpoly.edu
Summer at sea in Kauai, Hawaii. Picture: maritime.calpoly.edu
Above: At sea cadets learn from the bridge, deck and engine room as they prepare vessel maintenance and drills.
Picture: maritime.calpoly.edu
