GDF boosted with two $140M new vessels

The Guyana Defence Force’s fleet of vessels was boosted with the commissioning of two new Metal Shark boats at the Coast Guard Ship Hinds, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, in Government’s bid to ensure the protection of marine assets, the prevention of transnational crime and the promotion of international and coastal trade.

The $140 million vessels which were commissioned on Wednesday

The two vessels, which were acquired at a cost of $140 million each, were commissioned on Wednesday, with President David Granger handing over the keys to coastguards.
In his address to the small gathering, Granger said that the maritime defence body must be equipped to secure Guyana’s territorial security.
“It will receive and continue to receive the support of the Government to suppress all illegal activities including poaching, fuel smuggling and piracy at sea. The Coast Guard must ensure that our territorial waters are kept secure,” the President said.
He added that the Coast Guard was now equipped to ensure the removal of illegal activities from Guyana’s waterways.

President David Granger looks on as the vessels are taken on a test run by ranks of the Guyana Coast Guard

“The Coast Guard is concerned with ensuring compliance with Guyana’s quarantine immigration and fisheries laws. It is required also to enforce the laws within Guyana’s territorial sea and economic zone. These are heavy burdens, but we are confident that the Coast Guard has the will and we will provide them with the assets to remain in the forefront of efforts to suppress illegal activities in our rivers and in our maritime waters.”
At a time when Guyana was on the verge of becoming an oil-producing nation, the President said it was important, now more than ever, that the Coast Guard be recapitalised and equipped to effectively perform its functions.
For too long, the President said Guyana’s shipping industry has been threatened by the abuse of the country’s waters for the transshipment of narcotics and the smuggling of contraband. These activities, he said, have not only deprived the country of much-needed revenue, but have the potential to ruin the country’s reputation as a secure destination for investors. The Coast Guard must, therefore, be equipped to confront and eliminate illegal activities in the country’s waters.
Meanwhile, GDF Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier Patrick West echoed similar sentiments, noting that the vessels would not only help in recapitalising the Coast Guard, but would also ensure that a more proactive approach was taken to curbing illegalities in Guyana’s waters.  He said the effort was a tangible demonstration of Government’s commitment to ensuring national security.
The two boats are 38-foot Metal Shark 38V Defiant Class vessels outfitted with three 300-horsepower engines.