Coast Guard commissions fifth Bahrain-bound Sentinel-class FRC

USCGC John Scheuerman at the Port of Tampa.

Bollinger Shipyards LLC president and CEO Ben Bordelon joined senior U.S. Coast Guard officials yesterday at the Port of Tampa for the commissioning of one of the newest Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutters, USCGC John Scheuerman.

The cutter is the fifth of six FRCs to be home-ported in Manama, Bahrain, which will replace the aging 110-foot Island Class Patrol Boats, built by Bollinger Shipyards 30 years ago. In Bahrain, the cutters supporting the Patrol Forces Southwest Asia (PATFORSWA), the U.S. Coast Guard’s largest overseas presence outside the United States.

“While every commissioning is special, this particular vessel—especially when and how it was delivered—means a great deal to our team,” said Bordelon in his remarks during the ceremony. “As you know, this past August Hurricane Ida made landfall at Port Fourchon, La., with winds just short of a Category 5 hurricane, clocking in at 150 miles per hour. … Despite the odds stacked against us, our team persevered and the USCGC John Scheuerman was delivered on October 21, a full week ahead of schedule. This vessel and this commissioning represent a major win that our team needed and deserved. It reflects the resilience, commitment and tenacity of the 650 skilled men and women that built it. With the exception of my family, I’ve never been more proud of anything that I’ve ever been a part of.”

CAJUN TOUGHNESS

“We know what your men and women did and we know how you inspire them to come to work, to have something to rally around,” said Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Karl Schultz. “This product behind us is a testament to the Cajun toughness of Bollinger Shipyards and its employees.”

“I could not sleep better at night knowing our men and women of the Navy and the Coast Guard in that challenging region of the world are aboard highly-capable, Bollinger-built ships,” he continued. “These ships are truly technologically sophisticated and ready to stand their duties…This is one of those places where we are truly living and embodying the Tri-Service Maritime Strategy, where our Navy, our Coasties and our Marines are working side by side to protect our national defense interests.”

The U.S. Coast Guard took delivery of the 154-foot USCGC John Scheuerman in Key West, Fla., in October of last year. The cutter is the 169th vessel Bollinger has delivered to the Coast Guard over a 35-year period and the 46th FRC delivered under the current program.