Wales welcomes new fisheries patrol boat

The Welsh Government’s Marine and Fisheries department has launched the first of three high-speed patrol boats (HPB) at Conwy Marina.

Constructed by Liverpool-based ship builders Marine Specialised Technology (MST), the 13-metre Catrin will patrol the 1,200-kilometre coastline and enforce fisheries and marine laws.

She is the first of three HPBs, with Rhodri Morgan and Lady Megan under construction at Pembrokeshire.

They are scheduled to be delivered to Welsh ports later this year.

Catrin is named in memory of Catrin Glyndwr, the daughter of the last Welsh-born Prince of Wales, Owain Glyndwr.

The fully enclosed wheelhouse rigid inflatable boat is designed to carry four crew with a maximum speed of 35 knots and a range of 200 nautical miles.