Bollinger Shipyards disclosed on Monday that the U.S. Coast Guard has commissioned two additional Sentinel-class fast-response cutters from them.

These vessels are slated for construction at Bollinger’s Lockport, Louisiana facility, although the exact delivery date remains undisclosed.

The procurement falls under the 2004 Coast Guard Cutter Procurement Program, aiming to replace 90 patrol craft and various cutters within the Coast Guard’s fleet with a total of 104 new ships.

The agreement is a component of the 2004 Coast Guard Cutter Procurement Program, designed to replace 90 patrol craft and a mix of high- and medium-endurance cutters that were part of the Coast Guard’s fleet at that time, with a total of 104 new ships.

According to a report from the Congressional Research Service on March 25, each fast-response cutter carries a price tag of approximately $65 million.

Originally, the Coast Guard aimed to procure 65 fast-response cutters to replace the aging Island-class patrol boats.

However, with this recent announcement, the total number of fast-response cutters awarded to Bollinger has now reached 67.

These versatile vessels, renowned for their search-and-rescue capabilities, also play vital roles in drug interdiction, defense operations, law enforcement, and environmental protection.

Each cutter is armed with four .50-caliber machine guns and a 25 mm cannon.

According to the Coast Guard, these fast-response cutters boast impressive capabilities, reaching speeds of up to 28 knots, covering a range exceeding 2,500 nautical miles, and maintaining sea operations for up to five days.

Ben Bordelon, President and CEO of Bollinger Shipyards, emphasized their unmatched expertise in Coast Guard vessel construction, ensuring the delivery of top-quality and highly capable ships.

“Our unique experience building for the Coast Guard is unparalleled and has shown time and time again that we can successfully deliver the highest quality and most capable vessels,” he said.

Notably, three Sentinel-class cutters—named the Frederick Hatch, Myrtle Hazard, and Oliver Henry—were stationed at the Coast Guard base in Guam by 2021.

In the same year, the Coast Guard placed an order for four additional Sentinel cutters, scheduled for delivery between the fall of the current year and summer 2025.

Bollinger’s commitments extend beyond these cutters, including the construction of a polar security cutter, a towing, salvage, and rescue ship, a berthing barge, a new oceanographic survey vessel, and unmanned mine countermeasures surface vessels for the Navy, as outlined in the press release.

Relevant articles:
– Coast Guard orders 2 more fast-response cutters from Louisiana shipbuilder, Stars and Stripes
– US Coast Guard Orders Two More Fast Response Cutters, Marine Link
– U.S. Coast Guard Awards Bollinger Shipyards Two Fast Response Cutters, Seapower
– BOLLINGER SHIPYARDS DELIVERS 48th FAST RESPONSE CUTTER TO U.S. COAST GUARD, Bollinger Shipyards