BOSTON — A commissioning ceremony was held Saturday along Boston Harbor to officially put the USS Massachusetts, a nuclear-powered submarine, into active service.
The submarine was first christened back in May of 2023 by the ship’s sponsor, Sheryl Sandberg, the former COO of Meta.
“Officers and crew of the USS Massachusetts, man our ship and bring her to life!” Sandberg said Saturday marked the country’s 25th Virginia-class fast attack submarine entering commission.
Thousands of people attended the historic ceremony to welcome the new ship into the Navy fleet.
The massive submarine weighs 7,800 tons and is 377 feet long.
It’s designed with a reactor plant, so it will never require refueling and can carry 24 Tomahawk cruise missiles.
USS Massachusetts is the first submarine named after Massachusetts, which Governor Maura Healey said is a true honor.
“As governor, I’m proud to issue a proclamation declaring March 28th, 2026, to be USS Massachusetts Day in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and it could not be more fitting, right? Because the USS Massachusetts represents so much that we cherish in our state,” Healey said.
David Denton, General Counsel of the U.S. Navy, said as America looks forward to its 250th birthday, the USS Massachusetts signifies naval history in the Bay State.
“As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation’s independence this year, it’s a unique privilege to hold this event in Boston today,” Denton said at the ceremony. “The waters of Boston Harbor now hold both the newest and oldest ships in the commission service of the U.S. Navy.”
USS Massachusetts is now the fifth U.S. Navy vessel ever named after the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The ship was built by General Dynamics Electric Boat and Newport News Shipbuilding.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW