Deliveries include coast guard boats for the US, Jamaica, and Maldives while the Russian Navy has commissioned its newest mine countermeasures vessel. A South Korean-built guided-missile frigate has also been launched.
Louisiana-based boatbuilder Metal Shark Boats recently delivered and commissioned the first eight of 22 high-speed interceptor vessels for the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) Coast Guard.
The remaining 14 vessels are currently in production at Metal Shark’s production facility in Jeanerette, Louisiana, and are scheduled for phased delivery.
The 36-foot (11-metre) interceptors are purpose-built for high-tempo operations in the Caribbean environment. Each vessel features an advanced stepped vee ventilated tunnel running surface by Michael Peters Yacht Design, which Metal Shark said can deliver exceptional speed, efficiency, and handling in offshore conditions.
South Korean shipbuilder SK Oceanplant has launched the fourth Chungnam-class guided-missile frigate ordered by the Republic of Korea Navy.
Like her sisters, the future ROKS Jeju has a length of 129 metres, a beam of 15 metres, and a displacement of 3,600 tonnes. Upon completion, she will have space for 125 crewmembers and a combined diesel-electric or gas propulsion arrangement.
SK Oceanplant is also building two other Chungnam-class frigates while the final two ships in the class will be constructed by Hanwha Ocean, which also built class lead ship ROKS Chungnam.
A new patrol boat was recently handed over to the Maldivian Coast Guard, the maritime arm under the Maldives National Defence Force.
The vessel is the 24th and final Guardian-class patrol boat to be built under the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement (PPBR) project of the Australian Department of Defence. Construction of the Guardian-class patrol boats was undertaken by Australian naval shipbuilder Austal.
The vessel has an LOA of 39.5 metres, a beam of eight metres, a draught of 2.5 metres at full load, and space for 23 crewmembers.
Safe Boats International of Bremerton, Washington, has handed over a new response boat to the US Coast Guard.
Safe Boats had been selected as one of four companies that will each build a response boat–small (RB-S) demonstrator vessel for the coast guard. Through this competitive demonstrator program, the coast guard will evaluate multiple vessel designs to inform future procurement decisions.
Safe Boats said the RB-S platform will serve as a critical asset across a wide range of coast guard missions including search and rescue, law enforcement, ports and waterways security, and maritime response operations.
The Russian Navy commissioned its newest mine countermeasures (MCM) vessel in a ceremony on Thursday, April 30.
Polyarny (Полярный) is the tenth MCM vessel to be built by United Shipbuilding Corporation's (USC) Sredne-Nevsky Shipbuilding Plant. She belongs to Project 12700, otherwise known as the Alexandrit-class.
Like her sisters, Polyarny has a length of 61 metres, a beam of 10.2 metres, a draught of 2.68 metres, a displacement of approximately 890 tonnes at full load, and space for 44 crewmembers. The vessel also features a vacuum-infused FRP hull combining light weight with enhanced durability.