SeaArk Marine, USA, has recently delivered the 'Captain Kenneth H Scarbrough', a 15-metre Dauntless-class patrol vessel, to the Port of New Orleans.
The vessel will be operated by the harbour police and used for a variety of port security, maritime response, and emergency rescue missions throughout the Port of New Orleans waterway systems.
Additionally, the vessel will support the US Coast Guard in its various marine safety/security missions along the Lower Mississippi River.
The vessel is based on a hull designed by C Raymond Hunt & Associates and is constructed of all-welded marine grade aluminium.
The state-of-the-art vessel is designed as a command and control vessel. To facilitate its mission as a command and control vessel, a nav/command centre is located in the lower cabin where Teledyne specialty electronics equipment is housed.
The 'Captain Kenneth H Scarbrough' is equipped with Teledyne Solution's (TSI) Maritime Domain Awareness and Interoperable Communications System (MDACS).
The MDACS component installed on the vessel allows interoperable communications between virtually any two or more different communication systems. For the first time, all first responders operating within the Port of New Orleans in an emergency situation are able to communicate regardless of the communications system they have been equipped with by their organisation.
MDACS is able to link communication from first responders using land-lines, cell phones, satellite phones, UHF radios, VHF marine radios, and other radio systems used throughout the state regardless of frequency or whether they are digital or analogue.
Additional outfitting includes a KVH satellite phone, KVH satellite TV system, ICOM 602 VHF, CCTV system, Simrad VTS/AIS, Garmin Electronics suite, and thermal infrared. The lower cabin also includes crew quarters, a galley, a head, storage lockers, settee/situation awareness area and arms locker.
The main propulsion engines are twin CAT C-18 engines each rated at 650kW, with Twin Disc AQM-17 gears. For onboard electrical service, a 20kW Northern Lights generator and 30 amp shore power are provided.
Fully operational, the boat achieves a maximum speed of 35 knots.