Louisiana-based Bollinger Shipyards has secured a contract option for two additional Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutters for the US Coast Guard.
The order is part of a 2008 military program to develop an offshore fleet to replace the agency’s Island-class patrol boats.
The two vessels increase the coast guard’s fast response cutters to 67, 55 of which are already operational. The latest, USCGC David Duren (WPC-1156), was delivered to the service in March.
Bollinger will assemble both ships at its Lockport facility, which supports over 650 opportunities in Lafourche Parish and about 4,000 shipbuilding jobs in 13 facilities across Louisiana and Mississippi.
“We’re incredibly proud of our long history supporting the US Coast Guard that now stretches four decades,” Bollinger Shipyards CEO and President Ben Bordelon said.
“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. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Coast Guard.”
Economic Impact
Bollinger wrote that the Sentinel program has contributed approximately $2 billion since its inception and directly supported over 650 jobs in Southeast Louisiana.
The effort has created 1,690 new roles for operations and capital investment and sustained an annual economic impact of $202 million on the gross domestic product.
Throughout the project, the company will source more than 271,000 parts from 970 suppliers in 37 states.
“This program isn’t just an economic benefit for our region, but a national security priority that continues to enjoy the support of a bipartisan, bicameral coalition in the United States Congress,” Bordelon said.
The Sentinel Fleet
Bolinger based the Pentagon’s Sentinel fast response cutters on Damen Group’s Stan 4708 patrol vessels.
A Sentinel boat measures 47 meters (154 feet) and has a beam of 8 meters (27 feet).
It can accommodate up to 24 guardsmen, an inflatable boat, as well as mounted and crew-served machine guns.
The vessel uses two 5,800-horsepower diesel engines for a maximum speed of 28 knots (52 kilometers/32 miles per hour), a range of 2,500 nautical miles (4,600 kilometers/3,000 miles), and endurance of five days.