Bollinger Shipyards Delivers Cutter to U.S. Coast Guard
LOCKPORT, La. — Bollinger Shipyards announced that it has delivered the USCGC Douglas Denman to the U.S. Coast Guard in Key West, Fla. The Louisiana-based shipbuilder said this is the 175th vessel it has delivered to the Coast Guard over a 35-year period and the 49th fast response cutter delivered under the current program.
“I could not be more proud of the over 650 men and women of the Bollinger team that built the USCGC Douglas Denman,” said Bollinger President and CEO Ben Bordelon in a press release. “Pound for pound, the quality and capabilities of the FRC platform is unmatched and can be looked upon as a model government acquisition program. We look forward to continuing to support the U.S. Coast Guard for decades to come.”
The USCGC Denman will travel to Alaska where it will be commissioned on Sept. 28 in its new homeport of Ketchikan.
Earlier this year, U.S. President Joe Biden signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2022, which included $130 million for two additional FRCs.
Each FRC is named for an enlisted Coast Guard hero. Douglas Denman, the latest ship’s namesake, received the Silver Star and Purple Heart medals for his actions during World War II.
Bollinger said the FRC design is an operational “game changer … due to its exceptional performance, expanded operational reach and capabilities, and ability to transform and adapt to the mission. FRCs have conducted operations as far as the Marshall Islands, a 4,400 nautical mile trip from their homeport.” The vessels are 154-feet long, have a flank speed of 28 knots, and are loaded with a “state-of-the-art” C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) suite. They have a stern launch and recovery ramp for a 26-foot, over-the-horizon interceptor cutter boat.
Bollinger Shipyards is a designer and builder of military patrol boats and salvage vessels, research vessels, ocean-going double hull barges, offshore oil field support vessels, tugboats, rigs, lift boats, inland waterways push boats, barges, and other steel and aluminum products. It has 11 shipyards in Louisiana.
